Parent-specific epigenetic marks (imprints) leading to parent-specific gene expression are crucial for normal growth and development, yet their mechanisms of establishment and maintenance are not fully understood. In humans, approximately 200 imprinted genes have been discovered, and improper imprinting can manifest in growth restriction, obesity, intellectual disabilities, behavioral abnormalities, and an increased risk of certain cancers. While the use of pluripotent stem cells, especially those in the naïve state, have advanced aspects of modeling early development, a persistent issue hampering bona fide naïve hPSCs is the erosion of imprints. Our guests on today's episode will discuss genomic imprinting, its function, impact, and a new reporter system of imprinted gene expression in hPSCs that enables real-time visualization of loss-of-imprinting at single-cell resolution. This assay provides an important tool to help discover how to improve the imprint fidelity of naïve hPSCs and hence their application for studies of human development and regeneration.

Guests
Thorold Theunissen, PhD, Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St Louis, USA

Gal Keshet, The Azrieli Center for Stem Cells and Genetic Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Supporting Content
Tracking and mitigating imprint erasure during induction of naïve human pluripotency at single-cell resolution

Host
Janet Rossant, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Gairdner Foundation

About Stem Cell Reports
Stem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.
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About ISSCR
With nearly 5,000 members from more than 80 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.

ISSCR Staff
Keith Alm, Chief Executive Officer
Yvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell Reports
Kym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic Communications
Megan Koch, Senior Marketing Manager
Jack Mosher, Scientific Advisor
Hunter Reed, Senior Marketing Coordinator

Voice Work
Ben Snitkoff