Guest Editor(s)
Prof. Dr. Shaoyi Zhang
Email: shaoyizhang@um.edu.mo
Affiliation: 1. Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
2. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
3. Centre for Immune Regulation, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
Homepage:
Research Interests: immune regulation, intestinal regeneration
Summary
Cell fate decisions determine whether cells retain stem-like properties, commit to lineages, differentiate into specialized cell types, or transition between cellular states, thereby influencing tissue homeostasis, immune responses, and disease progression. Emerging evidence identifies cytokines as context-dependent regulators of these cell fate decisions and transitions. Their influence on cell fate depends on cytokine receptor expression and microenvironmental cues. Cytokine-dependent signaling also mediates transcriptional and metabolic remodeling that can reinforce or alter cell identity. Recent studies demonstrate cytokine-dependent regulation of lineage commitment and alternative differentiation fates, maintenance of stem-like states, and cellular plasticity between differentiated states and toward disease-associated phenotypes.
Accordingly, this special issue will examine how cytokines regulate stemness, lineage commitment, differentiation, and cellular plasticity across immune, hematopoietic, stem/progenitor, epithelial, stromal, and malignant cell populations. Particular attention will be given to how cytokine-dependent cell fate regulation changes during inflammation, tissue injury, regeneration, and cancer. We welcome studies employing molecular, single-cell, spatial, and organoid-based approaches to define causal mechanisms, characterize cell-state transitions, and determine context-specific cytokine responses. Translational studies exploring strategies to target cytokine pathways and alter disease-associated cell states are also of interest. Collectively, this special issue aims to advance understanding of cytokine-mediated cell fate regulation in physiology and disease.
Keywords
cytokines, cell fate, stemness, differentiation, cellular plasticity, cell-state transitions
Login
Register
Submit a Paper
Propose a Special lssue