LAUSR

Embryonic development is precisely regulated by a network of signal pathways and specific genes. Dppa3 (also known as Pgc7 or Stella) plays an important role in early embryonic development during the cleavage stage as a maternal effect gene. Dppa3 expresses in many species, and its homologous gene in human and rat genomes is located at the same chromosomal regions and have the same exon‐intron structure. However, unlike mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells, in which the Dppa3 promoter maintains hypomethylation that allows a high transcription level, the DPPA3 promoter region in human ES cells is methylated, much like that of mouse epiblast stem cell. Dppa3 is essential for early embryogenesis and pluripotency maintenance; however, the precise mechanism and downstream passage remains unknown. In this review, we will summarize some important functions of Dppa3 in early embryogenesis and pluripotency maintenance of mouse ES cells.