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Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Kinetic Measurement and Real Time Visualization of Somatic Reprogramming
Published on: July 30, 2016
Transdifferentiation and reprogramming: Overview of the processes, their similarities and differences
Artur Cieślar-Pobuda1, Viktoria Knoflach2, Mikael V Ringh3
1Institute of Automatic Control, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland; Stem Cell Group, Nordic EMBL Partnership, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract:
Reprogramming, or generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (functionally similar to embryonic stem cells or ES cells) by the use of transcription factors (typically: Oct3/4, Sox2, c-Myc, Klf4) called "Yamanaka factors" (OSKM), has revolutionized regenerative medicine. However, factors used to induce stemness are also overexpressed in cancer. Both, ES cells and iPS cells cause teratoma formation when injected to tissues. This raises a safety concern for therapies based on iPS derivates. Transdifferentiation (lineage reprogramming, or -conversion), is a process in which one mature, specialized cell type changes into another without entering a pluripotent state. This process involves an ectopic expression of transcription factors and/or other stimuli. Unlike in the case of reprogramming, tissues obtained by this method do not carry the risk of subsequent teratomagenesis.
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