Nanog dynamics in mouse embryonic stem cells

Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells (mESCs), derived from the inner cell mass of
the blastocyst, are pluripotent stem cells having self-renewal capability and the
potential of differentiating into every cell type under the appropriate culture
conditions. An increasing number of reports have been published to uncover the
complex molecular mechanisms that orchestrate pluripotency and cell-fate
specification using combined computational and experimental approaches. Here, we review recent Systems Biology approaches to describe the causes and function of gene expression heterogeneity and complex temporal dynamics of pluripotency markers in mESCs under uniform culture conditions. In particular, we focus on dynamics of Nanog, a key regulator of the core pluripotency network and of mESC fate. We summarize the strengths and limitations of different experimental and modeling approaches, and discuss how different approaches could be combined.