Fig. 9: Lima1 mediates the pluripotency control of membrane dynamics and cellular metabolism.

Lima1 expression is promoted by the naïve pluripotency transcription factors, which occupy the Lima1 promoter region. In turn, the cytoplasmic pool of dimeric Lima1 proteins bound to the actin filaments stabilises the cortex, thereby suppressing the formation of membrane blebs in naïve pluripotent cells. Lima1 is also involved in the mitochondrial energetics and is crucial for growth of teratomas and embryonic chimerism of ESC. Upon exit of naïve pluripotency, the naïve transcriptional circuit is dismantled and Lima1 is downregulated, resulting in the formation of membrane blebs. Accordingly, ectopic expression of Lima1 in mouse and human primed pluripotent cells suppresses membrane blebbing and enables the incorporation of the primed cells into murine pre-implantation embryos. OxPhos, oxidative phosphorylation; naïve pluripotency transcription factors are marked in blue; donor cells are marked in yellow.