Mechanisms of Embryonic Stem Cell Pluripotency Maintenance and Their Application in Livestock and Poultry Breeding.

Simple Summary: Embryonic stem cells have unique pluripotency and the potential to differentiate into any cell type in the body. This characteristic gives them great potential for application in the field of animal husbandry. Scientists can better control the differentiation process of embryonic stem cells by studying the maintenance mechanism of their pluripotency. In animal breeding, the use of embryonic stem cells can achieve the protection of animal species resources and genetic improvement of important traits, helping to cultivate animal breeds with faster birth growth and better meat quality. This not only improves agricultural production efficiency but also reduces the dependence on animals, which is more in line with ethical requirements and human production needs. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are remarkably undifferentiated cells that originate from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst. They possess the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types, making them invaluable in diverse applications such as disease modeling and the creation of transgenic animals. In recent years, as agricultural practices have evolved from traditional to biological breeding, it has become clear that pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), either ESCs or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), are optimal for continually screening suitable cellular materials. However, the technologies for long-term in vitro culture or establishment of cell lines for PSCs in livestock are still immature, and research progress is uneven, which poses challenges for the application of PSCs in various fields. The establishment of a robust in vitro system for these cells is critically dependent on understanding their pluripotency maintenance mechanisms. It is believed that the combined effects of pluripotent transcription factors, pivotal signaling pathways, and epigenetic regulation contribute to maintaining their pluripotent state, forming a comprehensive regulatory network. This article will delve into the primary mechanisms underlying the maintenance of pluripotency in PSCs and elaborate on the applications of PSCs in the field of livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]