Mouse ES (embryonic stem) cells maintain pluripotency with robust proliferation in vitro. ES cells share some similarities with cancer cells, such as anchorage-independent growth, loss of contact inhibition and tumour formation. After differentiation, ES cells lose pluripotency and tumorigenicity. Recent studies showed that the PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) pathway is important for proliferation, survival and maintenance of pluripotency in ES cells. The PI3K pathway is activated by growth factors and cytokines including insulin and leukaemia inhibitory factor. In addition to these exogenous factors, the PI3K pathway is endogenously activated by the constitutively active Ras family protein ERas (ES cell-expressed Ras). The PI3K pathway utilizes multiple downstream effectors including mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), which we have shown to be essential for proliferation in mouse ES cells and early embryos.
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October 2005
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Conference Article|
October 26 2005
Role of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells
K. Takahashi;
K. Takahashi
*Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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M. Murakami;
M. Murakami
*Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
†CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
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S. Yamanaka
S. Yamanaka
1
*Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
†CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email yamanaka@frontier.kyoto-u.ac.jp).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
June 22 2005
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2005 The Biochemical Society
2005
Biochem Soc Trans (2005) 33 (6): 1522–1525.
Article history
Received:
June 22 2005
Citation
K. Takahashi, M. Murakami, S. Yamanaka; Role of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Biochem Soc Trans 26 October 2005; 33 (6): 1522–1525. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0331522
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