FBS Colloquia No.196Laboratory for embryogenesi

Epiblast formation by Tead-Yap-dependent expression of pluripotency factors and competitive elimination of unspecified cells

The epiblast is a pluripotent cell population first formed in preimplantation embryos and its quality is important for proper development. We examined the mechanisms of epiblast formation and found that the Hippo pathway transcription factor Tead and its coactivator Yap regulate expression of pluripotency factors and cells showing low Tead activity are eliminated from the epiblast through cell competition. Cell competition functions as a safeguard against developmental fluctuations in pluripotency factor expression by Tead activity to ensure the production of an epiblast with naive pluripotency.