Figures & data
Table 1. Species-specific comparison of telomere/telomerase effects and their interactions with pluripotency regulation.
Figure 1. Proposed routes of pluripotency maintenance and self-renewal by pluripotent stem cells through functions of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) isoforms. TERT expression is regulated by a number of key pluripotency/transcription factors. Conversely, TERT regulates pluripotency and self-renewal via canonical (telomeric) and non-canonical (mitochondrial, transcriptional) functions in pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Telomere- and chromosome-mediated TERT effects lead to changes in pluripotency and cell proliferation by modulating the activities of transcription factors (c-Myc, β-Catenin, NF-κB, p53). This figure would be much more complex with additional TERT variant specific functions, as well as multiple TERT splice variants modulating each of its current roles. Common acronyms: mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA), Δψm (Mitochondrial Membrane Potential/MMP), ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) UCP2 (Mitochondria uncoupling protein 2), β-Cat (β-Catenin/CTNNB1), DDR (DNA Damage Response). The line without arrowhead underneath p53 indicates existing evidence for interaction with lack of mechanistic understanding.
![Figure 1. Proposed routes of pluripotency maintenance and self-renewal by pluripotent stem cells through functions of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) isoforms. TERT expression is regulated by a number of key pluripotency/transcription factors. Conversely, TERT regulates pluripotency and self-renewal via canonical (telomeric) and non-canonical (mitochondrial, transcriptional) functions in pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Telomere- and chromosome-mediated TERT effects lead to changes in pluripotency and cell proliferation by modulating the activities of transcription factors (c-Myc, β-Catenin, NF-κB, p53). This figure would be much more complex with additional TERT variant specific functions, as well as multiple TERT splice variants modulating each of its current roles. Common acronyms: mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA), Δψm (Mitochondrial Membrane Potential/MMP), ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) UCP2 (Mitochondria uncoupling protein 2), β-Cat (β-Catenin/CTNNB1), DDR (DNA Damage Response). The line without arrowhead underneath p53 indicates existing evidence for interaction with lack of mechanistic understanding.](/cms/asset/bc01ff11-5a3f-4caa-abf8-d52f6e6537c0/krnb_a_1134413_f0001_c.gif)