Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Forced Transdifferentiation

Forced Transdifferentiation

Transdifferentiation, also known as lineage reprogramming, was first discovered by Selman and Kafatos in 1974 in silkmoths. They observed that the moths’ cuticle-producing cells transformed into salt-producing cells. Many such cases of natural transdifferentiation occur in organisms. In humans, pancreatic alpha cells can become beta cells. In newts, the loss of the eye’s lens causes the pigmented epithelial cells to transdifferentiate into the lens cells.
Artificial transdifferentiation occurs...

Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming

Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming

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.

Introduction to Nuclear Reprogramming

Introduction to Nuclear Reprogramming

Nuclear reprogramming is the process of switching gene expression of one cell type to that of another cell type, usually from a differentiated cell state to an undifferentiated cell state. Differentiation occurs during processes such as development and morphogenesis, tissue regeneration, and malignancy. Cells can also be artificially induced to reprogram their gene expression by techniques such as nuclear transfer, induced pluripotency, and cell fusion. Such techniques have many applications in...

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...

Cellular Differentiation

Cellular Differentiation

How does a complex organism such as a human develop from a single cell? It all starts from a single fertilized egg which gives rise to a vast array of cell types, such as nerve cells, muscle cells, and epithelial cells that characterize the adult? Throughout development and adulthood, cellular differentiation leads cells to assume their final morphology and physiology. Differentiation is the process by which unspecialized cells become specialized to carry out distinct functions.
A zygote is a...

iPS Cell Differentiation

iPS Cell Differentiation

The ability of induced pluripotent stem cells or iPSCs to differentiate into most body cell types has stimulated repair and regenerative medicine research over the past few decades. iPSC-derived blood cells, hepatocytes, beta islet cells, cardiomyocytes, neurons, and other cell types can repair injuries or regenerate damaged tissue in diseases such as diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

EZH2 as regulator of stemness signature and driver of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Heat-inactivated Bacillus spores attenuate poly I:C-induced lung inflammation and microbiome alterations through modulation of host immune responses.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Integrated Analysis of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA Network and Identification of Hub lncRNAs in Molecular Subtypes of Gastric Cancer as Potential Prognostic Indicators.

Bioinformatics and biology insights·2026

Same author

Immunomodulatory effects of primed amniotic fluid-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells with IFN-γ from unexplained recurrent miscarriage sources.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Synergistic Mechanisms Underlying Optical, Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant Activities of Multifunctional Bioactive ZnO/CuO/Clay Nanocomposites.

ACS applied bio materials·2025

Same author

Effects of hypoxic and photobiomodulation preconditioning on mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes: an in vitro study with an osteogenic potential approach.

Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology·2025

Same journal

Correction to: Integrated morphological analyses of Cladomorphus phyllinus and transcriptomic analysis of Cladomorphus trimariensis provide insights into the cardiac morphophysiology of stick insects (Phasmida: Phasmatidae).

Cell and tissue research·2026

Same journal

Deletion of CEACAM1 does not affect retinal and choroidal morphology or transcriptome.

Cell and tissue research·2026

Same journal

Cardiac α2δ1 C-terminal contributes to left atrial hypertrophy in chronic ischemic heart failure, in association with changes in membrane GluN1 and p-CAMKII/p-HDAC4 signaling.

Cell and tissue research·2026

Same journal

Gill ionocytes of the Lake Magadi tilapia (Oreochromis Alcolapia grahami), an extremophilic teleost native to a highly alkaline environment.

Cell and tissue research·2026

Same journal

Integrated morphological analyses of Cladomorphus phyllinus and transcriptomic analysis of Cladomorphus trimariensis provide insights into the cardiac morphophysiology of stick insects (Phasmida: Phasmatidae).

Cell and tissue research·2026

Same journal

Effects of gestational protein restriction on autophagy dynamics during odontogenesis.

Cell and tissue research·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Isolation of Adult Human Dermal Fibroblasts from Abdominal Skin and Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using a Non-Integrating Method

Isolation of Adult Human Dermal Fibroblasts from Abdominal Skin and Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using a Non-Integrating Method

Published on: January 19, 2020

Transdifferentiation: a cell and molecular reprogramming process.

Sajjad Sisakhtnezhad¹, Maryam M Matin

¹Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

Cell and Tissue Research

|April 25, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cellular transdifferentiation allows one cell type to stably change into another. This process is crucial for development and regeneration, with significant potential for regenerative medicine applications.

More Related Videos

A Two-Step Strategy that Combines Epigenetic Modification and Biomechanical Cues to Generate Mammalian Pluripotent Cells

A Two-Step Strategy that Combines Epigenetic Modification and Biomechanical Cues to Generate Mammalian Pluripotent Cells

Published on: August 29, 2020

Reprogramming Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts with Transcription Factors to Induce a Hemogenic Program

Reprogramming Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts with Transcription Factors to Induce a Hemogenic Program

Published on: December 16, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Isolation of Adult Human Dermal Fibroblasts from Abdominal Skin and Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using a Non-Integrating Method

Isolation of Adult Human Dermal Fibroblasts from Abdominal Skin and Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using a Non-Integrating Method

Published on: January 19, 2020

A Two-Step Strategy that Combines Epigenetic Modification and Biomechanical Cues to Generate Mammalian Pluripotent Cells

A Two-Step Strategy that Combines Epigenetic Modification and Biomechanical Cues to Generate Mammalian Pluripotent Cells

Published on: August 29, 2020

Reprogramming Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts with Transcription Factors to Induce a Hemogenic Program

Reprogramming Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts with Transcription Factors to Induce a Hemogenic Program

Published on: December 16, 2016

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Developmental Biology
Regenerative Medicine

Background:

Cell differentiation is typically a one-way process.
Recent evidence shows cell types can convert into others (transdifferentiation).
Transdifferentiation occurs in development and regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

To review documented examples of transdifferentiation.
To explore transdifferentiation pathways and molecular mechanisms.
To discuss the significance of transdifferentiation in regenerative medicine.

Main Methods:

Review of well-documented transdifferentiation examples.
Analysis of transdifferentiation pathways.
Consideration of molecular mechanisms, including master switch genes.

Main Results:

Transdifferentiation is a stable switch between cell types.
Examples highlight its role in natural development and regeneration.
Master switch genes are key to molecular mechanisms.

Conclusions:

Understanding transdifferentiation is vital for cell therapy.
This process holds significant promise for regenerative medicine.
Further research into mechanisms will enable desired cell production.