Publications by authors named "C E Munger"
Congenital heart defects (CHD) arise in part due to inherited genetic variants that alter genes and noncoding regulatory elements in the human genome. These variants are thought to act during fetal development to influence the formation of different heart structures. However, identifying the genes, pathways, and cell types that mediate these effects has been challenging due to the immense diversity of cell types involved in heart development as well as the superimposed complexities of interpreting noncoding sequences.
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- Wildlife biodiversity helps keep ecosystems healthy and strong.
- Scientists study this diversity to learn more about life and how it started.
- Due to the rapid loss of various species, immediate action is needed from conservationists, and new techniques like stem cell technologies could help protect animal diversity.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates early human trophoblast development using marmoset embryos, bridging gaps in understanding due to the inaccessibility of human early conceptus.
- - Researchers successfully created trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) from marmoset pluripotent stem cells, demonstrating unique characteristics and differentiation potential compared to human TSCs.
- - The findings suggest that specific culture conditions for marmosets can maintain a trophoblast-like identity, revealing insights into evolutionary differences in implantation and enhancing knowledge of human development.
Enhancers are key drivers of gene regulation thought to act via 3D physical interactions with the promoters of their target genes. However, genome-wide depletions of architectural proteins such as cohesin result in only limited changes in gene expression, despite a loss of contact domains and loops. Consequently, the role of cohesin and 3D contacts in enhancer function remains debated.
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- Biomechanical cues are crucial for embryonic development and cell differentiation, and studying these can reveal how physical stimuli influence gene expression during early mammalian development.
- By using microfluidic techniques to encapsulate mouse embryonic stem cells, researchers found that Plakoglobin (Jup), a key protein, enhances the network responsible for maintaining naive pluripotency.
- The study highlights Plakoglobin's role as a mechanosensitive regulator, suggesting that its expression during blastocyst formation in both human and mouse embryos is vital for understanding cell fate transitions influenced by the physical environment.