Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Modeling and Therapy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder, caused by mutation of the DMD gene which encodes the protein dystrophin. This dystrophin defect leads to the progressive degeneration of skeletal and cardiac muscles. Currently, there is no effective therapy for this disorder. However, the technology of cell reprogramming, with subsequent controlled differentiation to skeletal muscle cells or cardiomyocytes, may provide a unique tool for the study, modeling, and treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In the present review, we describe current methods of induced pluripotent stem cell generation and discuss their implications for the study, modeling, and development of cell-based therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.