Schematics showing the mechanism of how ERK activity coordinates ME differentiation and cell cycle. When the pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) differentiate towards mesendoderm (ME), ERK activity increases. Multiple morphogens controlling ME differentiation contribute to the increase of ERK activity, which also quantitatively modulate ERK activity. Increased ERK activity promotes efficient TBXT expression without dramatic remodeling of cell cycle during ME differentiation. This is because the ranges of ERK activity that promote cell cycle progression and TBXT protein production are distinct. The distinct ERK activity response ranges are reflective of gene-specific variations in sensitivity to ERK regulation at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Created with the help of BioRender. Liang, H. (2025)
ERK regulates both proliferation & lineage specification during #embryo development, but how? This study shows that ERK levels modulate human pluripotent #StemCell differentiation into mesendoderm by fine-tuning its differentiation potential & cell division speed @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4seESa5