Zeb1-Hdac2-eNOS circuitry identifies early cardiovascular precursors in naive mouse embryonic stem cells

The production of nitric oxide (NO) is required for early stage embryo implantation into the uterus. Here the authors show that during differentiation of naive mouse ESCs, early production of endogenous NO leads to a mesendoderm differentiation commitment pathway by inhibiting the action of the transcriptional repressor Zeb1.