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Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming

Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming

Reprogramming alters the gene expression in somatic cells, transforming them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells over several generations. Scientists can reprogram cells by introducing genes for four transcription factors—Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) by viral or non-viral methods. These factors are also known as Yamanaka factors after Shinya Yamanaka, who first generated iPS cells using mouse skin cells. Yamanaka was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012 for this...

Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming

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Nuclear reprogramming is a process of transforming one cell type into an unrelated cell type by epigenetic changes that alter the cell’s original gene expression pattern. Such epigenetic changes force cells to express a different set of genes, which play a significant role in inducing transformation into other cell types. Nuclear reprogramming offers applications in reproductive cloning for livestock propagation and regenerative medicine — developing patient-specific cells for injury repair.

Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells

Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells

Chromatin modification alters gene expression; therefore, scientists can add histone-modifying enzymes, histone variants, and chromatin remodeling complexes to somatic cells to aid reprogramming into pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
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Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different cell types. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are terminally differentiated; however, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they dedifferentiate and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Somatic cells are...

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Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different types of cells. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are post-mitotic—that is, they no longer divide. However, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they “de-differentiate” and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are also pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are therefore called induced pluripotent stem...

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Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different types of cells. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are post-mitotic—that is, they no longer divide. However, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they “de-differentiate” and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are also pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are therefore called induced pluripotent stem...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

In vivo Reprogramming of Adult Somatic Cells to Pluripotency by Overexpression of Yamanaka Factors

In vivo Reprogramming of Adult Somatic Cells to Pluripotency by Overexpression of Yamanaka Factors

Published on: December 17, 2013

Reprogramming somatic cells towards pluripotency by defined factors.

Marc Lewitzky¹, Shinya Yamanaka

¹Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.

Current Opinion in Biotechnology

|November 21, 2007

Summary

Scientists reprogrammed adult cells into pluripotent stem cells using four key genes. These induced pluripotent stem cells can develop into various cell types and contribute to new organisms, advancing cell therapy potential.

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Selecting and Isolating Colonies of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Reprogrammed from Adult Fibroblasts

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Published on: February 20, 2012

Area of Science:

Cell biology
Developmental biology
Genetics

Background:

Cellular differentiation involves complex genetic and epigenetic modifications.
Reprogramming somatic cells to pluripotency offers alternatives to nuclear transfer methods.
Current methods aim to overcome challenges associated with using mammalian oocytes for cell therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the possibility of generating pluripotent cells from differentiated somatic cells without nuclear transfer.
To explore the potential of using a defined set of transcription factors for cell reprogramming.
To assess the developmental potential and germline transmission of reprogrammed cells.

Main Methods:

Retroviral transduction of differentiated somatic cells.
Introduction of four specific transcription factors: Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc.
Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Main Results:

Successfully generated cells exhibiting properties of pluripotent embryonic stem cells.
Reprogrammed cells contributed to the development of live chimeric mice.
The reprogrammed cells were transmitted through the germline, indicating their pluripotency and stability.

Conclusions:

Reprogramming differentiated somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells is achievable using a defined set of transcription factors.
This method provides a promising avenue for generating patient-specific pluripotent cells for cell therapy, avoiding ethical and practical issues associated with oocytes.
The resulting induced pluripotent stem cells possess significant developmental potential and can be passed to subsequent generations.