Jun Xu  Assistant Professor

Contact Information

Email: jun_xu@bjmu.ed.cn

Research Direction

early stem cell studies, stem cell-based embryo models and organogenesis

Personal Profile

Our research aims to generate early stem cells and harness their potential to advance regenerative medicine and developmental biology. A central focus of our work is the in vitro capture of totipotent-like stem cells and the elucidation of molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern stem cell potency. By leveraging these cells, we seek to construct faithful models of early embryogenesis, providing platforms to uncover the mechanisms underlying reproductive diseases and development. In parallel, we are exploring innovative strategies to apply totipotent-like stem cells for the generation of functional organs, both in vitro and in vivo, with the long-term goal of creating transformative approaches for disease modeling, tissue engineering, and regenerative therapies.

Publications

1. Wang X, Cheng R, Wu C, Liu H, Li Z, Huo Y, Li B, Zhao D, Li C, Deng H, Xu J. Trophectoderm-like cells from EPS cells enable generating EPS cell-derived post-implantation embryoids that complete gastrulation. Protein Cell. 2025:pwaf059. doi: 10.1093/procel/pwaf059.

2. Li J, Xie L, Shi C, Zhang T, Lin X, Da H, Sun K, Han C, Zhu B, Chen X, Deng H, Xu J. CRISPR-based screening identifies the role of KRAB-containing transcription factors ZIM3 and ZNF394 in human major zygotic genome activation. Cell Rep. 2025;44(8):116015.

3. Chen S, He Y, Lv L, Liu B, Li C, Deng H, Xu J. Transient chemical-mediated epigenetic modulation confers unrestricted lineage potential on human primed pluripotent stem cells. Sci China Life Sci. 2025;68(4):1084-1101.

4. Li J, Lin X, Xie L, Zhao J, Han C, Deng H, Xu J. A CRISPR/Cas9-based kinome screen identifies ErbB signaling as a new regulator of human naïve pluripotency and totipotency. Life Med. 2023;2(4):lnad037.

5. Xu Y, Zhao J, Ren Y, Wang X, Lyu Y, Xie B, Sun Y, Yuan X, Liu H, Yang W, Fu Y, Yu Y, Liu Y, Mu R, Li C, Xu J, Deng H. Derivation of totipotent-like stem cells with blastocyst-like structure forming potential. Cell Res. 2022;32(6):513-529.

6. Liu B, Chen S, Xu Y, Lyu Y, Wang J, Du Y, Sun Y, Liu H, Zhou H, Lai W, Xue A, Yin M, Li C, Bai Y, Xu J, Deng H. Chemically defined and xeno-free culture condition for human extended pluripotent stem cells. Nat Commun. 2021;12(1):3017.

7. Wang Q, Sun D, Liang Z, Wang J, Zhong X, Lyu Y, Cao J, Lin Z, Du Y, Miao Z, Lu S, Li C, Xu J, Shi Y, Deng H. Generation of human hepatocytes from extended pluripotent stem cells. Cell Res. 2020;30(9):810-813.

8. Yang Y, Liu B, Xu J, Wang J, Wu J, Shi C, Xu Y, Dong J, Wang C, Lai W, Zhu J, Xiong L, Zhu D, Li X, Yang W, Yamauchi T, Sugawara A, Li Z, Sun F, Li X, Li C, He A, Du Y, Wang T, Zhao C, Li H, Chi X, Zhang H, Liu Y, Li C, Duo S, Yin M, Shen H, Belmonte JCI, Deng H. Derivation of Pluripotent Stem Cells with In Vivo Embryonic and Extraembryonic Potency. Cell. 2017;169(2):243-257.

9. Xu J, Du Y, Deng H. Direct lineage reprogramming: strategies, mechanisms, and applications. Cell Stem Cell. 2015;16(2):119-34.

10. Fang R, Liu K, Zhao Y, Li H, Zhu D, Du Y, Xiang C, Li X, Liu H, Miao Z, Zhang X, Shi Y, Yang W, Xu J, Deng H. Generation of naive induced pluripotent stem cells from rhesus monkey fibroblasts. Cell Stem Cell. 2014;15(4):488-497.

11. Sun X, Xu J, Lu H, Liu W, Miao Z, Sui X, Liu H, Su L, Du W, He Q, Chen F, Shi Y, Deng H. Directed Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells into Thymic Epithelial Progenitor-like Cells Reconstitutes the Thymic Microenvironment In Vivo. Cell Stem Cell. 2013;13(2):230-6.