Cell division is a fundamental cellular process and the evolutionarily conserved networks that control cell division cycles adapt during development, tissue regeneration, cell de‐differentiation and reprogramming, and a variety of pathological conditions. Embryonic development is a prime example of such versatility: fast, clock‐like divisions hallmarking embryonic cells at early developmental stages become slower and controlled during cellular differentiation and lineage specification. In this review, we compare and contrast the unique cell cycle of mouse and human embryonic stem cells with that of early embryonic cells and of differentiated cells. We propose that embryonic stem cells provide an extraordinarily useful model system to understand cell cycle remodelling during embryonic‐to‐somatic transitions. We discuss how cell cycle networks help sustain embryonic stem cell pluripotency and self‐renewal and how they safeguard cell identity and proper cell number in differentiated cells. Finally, we highlight the incredible diversity in cell cycle regulation within mammals and discuss the implications of studying cell cycle remodelling for understanding healthy and disease states.

中文翻译：

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从时钟到多米诺骨牌：胚胎干细胞重塑细胞周期的经验教训

细胞分裂是一个基本的细胞过程，控制细胞分裂周期的进化保守网络在发育、组织再生、细胞去分化和重编程以及各种病理条件下适应。胚胎发育是这种多功能性的一个主要例子：在早期发育阶段标志着胚胎细胞的快速、时钟状分裂在细胞分化和谱系规范过程中变得更慢和受控。在这篇综述中，我们比较和对比了小鼠和人类胚胎干细胞与早期胚胎细胞和分化细胞的独特细胞周期。我们建议胚胎干细胞提供了一个非常有用的模型系统来理解胚胎到体细胞转变过程中的细胞周期重塑。我们讨论细胞周期网络如何帮助维持胚胎干细胞的多能性和自我更新，以及它们如何保护分化细胞中的细胞身份和适当的细胞数量。最后，我们强调了哺乳动物细胞周期调控的惊人多样性，并讨论了研究细胞周期重塑对了解健康和疾病状态的意义。