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Epigenomes
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Epigenetic Regulation of Cellular Differentiation
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Epigenetic Regulation of Cellular Differentiation

A topical collection in Epigenomes (ISSN 2075-4655).

Viewed by 10721

Editor

Prof. Dr. Wiesława Leśniak

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Laboratory of Calcium Binding Proteins, Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: cell/molecular biology; gene/protein expression; epigenetics; protein biochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cell differentiation is a process through which newly formed cells acquire specific features required for the precise functions that they are to fulfill in the organism. The most spectacular example of the differentiation process is the transformation of a zygote into a mature organism with multiple specialized tissues. In an adult organism, the process of cellular differentiation is active, albeit within a somewhat different range, in all tissues, which are constantly renewed thanks to the proliferative capacity of tissue stem cells. The stem cell progeny, newly derived undifferentiated cells, undergo differentiation along a tissue-specific lineage.

Upon differentiation, cells alter not only their size, shape, motile/adhesive properties, etc., but also metabolic and other biochemical characteristics. All these changes are possible due to orchestrated and time-coordinated expression, or silencing, of multiple genes. The involvement of epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications or micro RNAs, in the regulation of genes involved in cell differentiation is a recognized fact; however, what we still need to know is how the epigenetic changes accompanying cellular differentiation are tailored to execute a gene expression program appropriate for each cell/tissue type.

The aim of this Topical Collection is to bring together a set of reviews and research articles on the role of epigenetic regulation in cell differentiation in vitro and in vivo.

Prof. Dr. Wiesława Leśniak
Collection Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the collection website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Epigenomes is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cellular differentiation
  • epigenetic factors
  • DNA methylation
  • histone modifications
  • gene silencing

Published Papers (2 papers)

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2021

Jump to: 2020

12 pages, 781 KiB  
Review
Epigenetic Regulation of Epidermal Differentiation
by Wiesława Leśniak
Epigenomes 2021, 5(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/epigenomes5010001 - 01 Jan 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5243
Abstract
The epidermis is the outer part of the skin that protects the organism from dehydration and shields from external insults. Epidermal cells, called keratinocytes, undergo a series of morphological and metabolic changes that allow them to establish the biochemical and structural elements of [...] Read more.
The epidermis is the outer part of the skin that protects the organism from dehydration and shields from external insults. Epidermal cells, called keratinocytes, undergo a series of morphological and metabolic changes that allow them to establish the biochemical and structural elements of an effective epidermal barrier. This process, known as epidermal differentiation, is critical for the maintenance of the epidermis under physiological conditions and also under stress or in various skin pathologies. Epidermal differentiation relies on a highly coordinated program of gene expression. Epigenetic mechanisms, which commonly include DNA methylation, covalent histone modifications, and microRNA (miRNA) activity, modulate various stages of gene expression by altering chromatin accessibility and mRNA stability. Their involvement in epidermal differentiation is a matter of intensive studies, and the results obtained thus far show a complex network of epigenetic factors, acting together with transcriptional regulators, to maintain epidermal homeostasis and counteract adverse effects of environmental stressors. Full article
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2020

Jump to: 2021

15 pages, 653 KiB  
Review
UV Radiation and Its Relation to DNA Methylation in Epidermal Cells: A Review
by Naila Francis Paulo de Oliveira, Beatriz Fernandes de Souza and Marina de Castro Coêlho
Epigenomes 2020, 4(4), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/epigenomes4040023 - 30 Sep 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4272
Abstract
DNA methylation is the most studied epigenetic mark, and it can be altered by environmental factors. Among these factors, ultraviolet radiation (UV) is little explored within this context. While the relationship between UV radiation and DNA mutations is clear, little is known about [...] Read more.
DNA methylation is the most studied epigenetic mark, and it can be altered by environmental factors. Among these factors, ultraviolet radiation (UV) is little explored within this context. While the relationship between UV radiation and DNA mutations is clear, little is known about the relationship between UV radiation and epimutations. The present study aimed to perform a literature review to determine the influence of artificial or natural (solar) UV radiation on the global and site-specific methylation profile of epidermal cells. A systematic review of the literature was carried out using the databases PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science. Observational and intervention studies in cultured cells and animal or human models were included. Most studies showed a relationship between UV radiation and changes in the methylation profile, both global and site-specific. Hypermethylation and hypomethylation changes were detected, which varied according to the studied CpG site. In conclusion, UV radiation can alter the DNA methylation profile in epidermal cells derived from the skin. These data can be used as potential biomarkers for environmental exposure and skin diseases, in addition to being targets for treatments. On the other hand, UV radiation (phototherapy) can also be used as a tool to treat skin diseases. Thus, the data suggest that epigenetic homeostasis can be disrupted or restored by exposure to UV radiation according to the applied wavelength. Full article
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