Development of Genomics and Bioinformatics Tools to Elucidate
Alternative Splicing and Gene Expression Networks in Human
Embryonic Stem Cells Tools and Technologies I The hundreds of
different cell types in the human body – each with its own
functional characteristics – ultimately all derive from a single
type of undifferentiated precursor cell in the embryo, the
pluripotent human embryonic stem cell (hESC). hESCs can
proliferate indefinitely while maintaining their capacity to
give rise to all cell types in the body, a process known as
self-renewal. Upon appropriate developmental triggers, hESCs
differentiate to generate the more specialized cells of the
body, such as blood cells or cells of the nervous system.
Understanding the processes governing hESC self-renewal and
differentiation are critical for understanding basic mechanisms
of developmental biology, and moreover will illuminate the
pathways that go awry in human developmental diseases. We hope
to gain a comprehensive knowledge of such processes with