@article {503,
	title = {Defining the genomic signature of totipotency and pluripotency during early human development.},
	journal = {PLoS One},
	volume = {8},
	year = {2013},
	month = {2013},
	pages = {e62135},
	abstract = {<p>The genetic mechanisms governing human pre-implantation embryo development and the in vitro counterparts, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), still remain incomplete. Previous global genome studies demonstrated that totipotent blastomeres from day-3 human embryos and pluripotent inner cell masses (ICMs) from blastocysts, display unique and differing transcriptomes. Nevertheless, comparative gene expression analysis has revealed that no significant differences exist between hESCs derived from blastomeres versus those obtained from ICMs, suggesting that pluripotent hESCs involve a new developmental progression. To understand early human stages evolution, we developed an undifferentiation network signature (UNS) and applied it to a differential gene expression profile between single blastomeres from day-3 embryos, ICMs and hESCs. This allowed us to establish a unique signature composed of highly interconnected genes characteristic of totipotency (61 genes), in vivo pluripotency (20 genes), and in vitro pluripotency (107 genes), and which are also proprietary according to functional analysis. This systems biology approach has led to an improved understanding of the molecular and signaling processes governing human pre-implantation embryo development, as well as enabling us to comprehend how hESCs might adapt to in vitro culture conditions.</p>},
	keywords = {Blastocyst Inner Cell Mass, Blastomeres, Cell Differentiation, Embryonic Development, Embryonic Stem Cells, Gene Expression Profiling, Gene Regulatory Networks, Genome, Human, Humans, Molecular Sequence Annotation, Pluripotent Stem Cells, Totipotent Stem Cells},
	issn = {1932-6203},
	doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0062135},
	author = {Galan, Amparo and Diaz-Gimeno, Patricia and Poo, Maria Eugenia and Valbuena, Diana and Sanchez, Eva and Ruiz, Veronica and Dopazo, Joaquin and Montaner, David and Conesa, Ana and Simon, Carlos}
}
