1;Editors and Contributors;9 2;Preface;5 3;Contents;7 4;1 What Is a Stem Cell Niche?;15 4.1;1.1 The Niche for Quiescent Melanocyte Stem Cells;16 4.2;1.2 Advantage of the Melanocyte for Studying Niche;17 4.3;1.3 When Are Melanocyte Stem Cells Generated?;19 4.4;1.4 Differentiation of Melanocyte Stem Cells to Their Immediate Progenies Is Reversible;21 4.5;1.5 Characteristics of Quiescent Melanocyte Stem Cells;21 4.6;1.6 Low Level of Housekeeping Gene Expression in Quiescent Stem Cells;22 4.7;1.7 Wnt Signal Inhibition Is Implicated as a Mechanism Underlying Downregulation of Genes That Are Essential for Melanocyte Development;23 4.8;1.8 High Notch Expression in Quiescent Stem Cells;25 4.9;1.9 Current Model and Niche;25 4.10;References;27 5;2 New Strategy for Comprehensive Analysis of Gene Functions in Embryonic Stem cells;29 5.1;2.1 Strategy to Introduce Bi-Allelic Mutations;30 5.2;2.2 Insertional Mutagenesis and Screening for Genes Involved in Stem Cell Maintenancein Embryonic Stem Cells;32 5.3;References;35 6;3 Paternal Dual Barrier by Ifg2-H19 and Dlk1-Gtl2 to Parthenogenesis in Mice;37 6.1;3.1 Introduction;38 6.2;3.2 Analysis of Gametic Imprinting During Oocyte Growth;39 6.3;3.3 Role of Paternally Imprinted Genes on Parthenogenesis;40 6.4;3.4 Mechanism Responsible for Extended Development;41 6.5;3.5 Methylation Analysis of the IG-DMR at Dlk1-Gtl2 Domain;43 6.6;3.6 Conclusion;44 6.7;References;44 7;4 Cell-Cell Fusion as a Means to Establish Pluripotency;48 7.1;4.1 Plasticity of Somatic Stem Cells Versus Cell Fusion;49 7.2;4.2 Somatic Cell Reprogramming by Fusion with Embryonic Stem, Embryonic Carcinoma, and Embryonic Germ Cells;50 7.3;4.3 Epigenetic Modification of Reprogrammed Hybrid Cells;51 7.4;4.4 Factors for Fusion-Induced Reprogramming;53 7.5;4.5 Perspectives;54 7.6;References;55 8;5 Toward Reprogramming Cells to Pluripotency;59 8.1;5.1 Introduction;60 8.2;5.2 Epigenetic Reprogramming and Induction of Pluripotency by Cell Fusion;61 8.3;5.3 Induction of Differentiation, Transdifferentiation, and Dedifferentiation Using Cell Extracts;62 8.4;5.4 Chromatin Remodeling Associated with Nuclear Reprogramming;73 8.5;5.5 Perspectives;74 8.6;References;76 9;6 Molecular Switches and Developmental Potential of Adult Stem Cells;80 9.1;6.1 The Development of Blood Cells from Multipotent Hematopoietic Stem Cells;81 9.2;6.2 The Flt3+CD11b+ Multipotent Progenitor;82 9.3;6.3 The HLH Transcription Factor Id2 in Lineage Choice;83 9.4;References;87 10;7 Adult Small Intestinal Stem Cells: Identification, Location, Characteristics, and Clinical Applications;91 11;8 Tracking Stem Cells In Vivo;109 11.1;8.1 Introduction;110 11.2;8.2 Criteria for Ideal Stem Cell In Vivo Imaging Technology and Potential Obstacles;110 11.3;8.3 In Vivo Stem Cell Tracking Methods;111 11.4;8.4 Conclusion and Future Directions;116 11.5;References;117 12;9 Establishment of Nuclear Transfe rEmbryonic Stem Cell Lines from Adult Somatic Cells by Nuclear Transfer and Its Application;120 12.1;9.1 Introduction;121 12.2;9.2 Establishment of Nuclear Transfer Embryonic Stem Cell Lines from Different Mice;122 12.3;9.3 Application of Nuclear Transfer Embryonic Stem Cell Techniques;124 12.4;9.4 Preservation of Genes from Infertile Mice Without the Use of Germ Cells;125 12.5;9.5 Nuclear Transfer Embryonic Stem Cell Derivation from Lethal Cloned Embryos;127 12.6;9.6 Perspectives;128 12.7;References;129 13;10 Derivation of Germ Cells from Embryonic Stem Cells;133 13.1;10.1 The Totipotency Cycle and the Development of Germ Cells In Vivo and In Vitro;134 13.2;10.2 Genes Involved in the Maintenance of Pluripotency and Primordial Germ Cell Development;135 13.3;10.3 Detection of Primordial Germ Cells In Vivo and In Vitro;137 13.4;10.4 Meiotic Progression and Female Gamete Formation In Vivo and In Vitro;141 13.5;10.5 Conclusions;144 13.6;References;145 14;11 Germline Recruitment in Mice: A Genetic Program for Epigenetic Reprogramming;151 14.1;11.1 Introduction;152 14.2;11.2 Key Epigenetic Mod