Oncogene controls stem cells in early embryonic development

(German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ)) Many animal species delay the development of their embryos to ensure that their offspring is born at a favorable time. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center have now shown that this process called diapause is regulated by the MYC oncogene. If MYC is turned off in mice, embryonic stem cells and early embryos enter a reversible biochemical state of dormancy. When MYC is reactivated, the dormant embryos are able to...