p53 in stem cells

p53 is well known as a “guardian of the genome” for differentiated cells, in which it induces cell cycle arrest and cell death after DNA damage and thus contributes to the maintenance of genomic stability. In addition to this tumor suppressor function for differentiated cells, p53 also plays an important role in stem cells. In this cell type, p53 not only ensures genomic integrity after genotoxic insults but also controls their proliferation and differentiation. Additionally, p53 provides an effective barrier for the generation of pluripotent stem cell-like cells from terminally differentiated cells. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge about p53 activities in embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells.