Researchers at the University of Osaka found that two proteins, RLF and ZFP292, play a crucial role in maintaining stem cells and preventing their differentiation. These proteins suppress the expression of differentiation-related genes by stabilizing the CoREST repressor complex at gene promoters.

Experiments showed that the presence of either one of these proteins, or both together, keeps stem cells in a “poised” state, preventing them from turning into specialized cells. Removal of these proteins led to the activation of differentiation genes, causing the cells to progress toward becoming other cell types.

This discovery could help maintain stem cell quality for research and clinical applications, improve our understanding of diseases caused by misregulated gene expression, and potentially lead to the development of new treatments.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260512/Two-proteins-help-maintain-stem-cells-by-preventing-differentiation.aspx