Transcription regulation of cell fate plasticity - from embryonic development to tissue regeneration.

Wenying Zhao; Xiao Huang; Congling Xu

doi:10.1016/j.gde.2026.102507

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Transcription regulation of cell fate plasticity - from embryonic development to tissue regeneration.

Wenying Zhao·Xiao Huang·Congling Xu

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Abstract

Cell fate plasticity refers to the capacity of cells sharing the same genome to alter, reverse, or reconfigure their identity under physiological, pathological, or experimental conditions. This property underlies embryonic development, cellular reprogramming, and tissue regeneration, but becomes progressively restricted as lineage identity is stabilized. Embryonic development represents an intrinsic process of fate transitions, whereas reprogramming and regeneration reveal how differentiated cells can dedifferentiate or transdifferentiate under specific conditions. Across these contexts, plasticity is governed by multilayered regulatory networks involving transcription factors, epigenetic regulators, cofactors, and the core transcription machinery. Robust regulatory programs stabilize cell identity, whereas stochastic fluctuations in gene expression and chromatin state can prime cells for fate transitions, adding a tunable dimension to plasticity control. In this review, we synthesize recent advances in the regulation of cell fate plasticity across development, reprogramming, and regeneration, highlighting how transcription factors, epigenetic modifications, transcriptional cofactors, and core transcription machinery cooperate to control cell fate decisions and plasticity.

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Animals Cell Plasticity Embryonic Development Regeneration Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental Epigenesis, Genetic Humans Cell Differentiation Cellular Reprogramming Cell Lineage Transcription Factors Transcription, Genetic Journal Article Review

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Wenying Zhao, Xiao Huang, Congling Xu. 2026-06-27. Transcription regulation of cell fate plasticity - from embryonic development to tissue regeneration.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gde.2026.102507

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Journal Article; Review resource Animals subject Epigenesis, Genetic subject Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental subject Humans subject Journal Article subject

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