Experimental and Computational Approaches to Direct Cell Reprogramming: Recent Advancement and Future Challenges
Rihab Gam1, Minkyung Sung2, Arun Prasad Pandurangan3
1MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. rgam@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk.
Cells
|October 5, 2019
Summary
Direct cell reprogramming, or transdifferentiation, converts mature cells into new types without dedifferentiation. This review explores experimental and computational advances in cell reprogramming for regenerative medicine therapies.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Direct cell reprogramming (transdifferentiation) offers a pathway to convert one mature cell type directly into another.
- This process bypasses the need for a dedifferentiated or pluripotent state, making it a powerful tool for cellular therapies.
- Its potential applications span various fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of direct cell reprogramming (transdifferentiation).
- To review recent advancements in both experimental and computational techniques for predicting and achieving cell identity conversion.
- To discuss the challenges and potential solutions for translating transdifferentiation technologies to clinical applications.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on direct cell reprogramming and transdifferentiation.
- Analysis of experimental methodologies used to induce cell fate changes.
- Evaluation of computational approaches for predicting reprogramming outcomes and guiding experimental design.
Main Results:
- Recent years have seen significant development in various transdifferentiation methods.
- Integration of experimental and computational tools enhances the efficiency and predictability of reprogramming.
- Progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms underlying cell identity conversion.
Conclusions:
- Direct cell reprogramming is a rapidly advancing field with significant therapeutic potential.
- Continued innovation in experimental and computational techniques is crucial for its advancement.
- Addressing challenges in clinical translation is key to realizing the full impact of transdifferentiation in medicine.
Keywords:
cell therapycomputational biologydirect reprogrammingregenerative medicinetransdifferentiationMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming
2.5K
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...
2.5K
01:24Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming
2.1K
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...
2.1K
01:14Introduction to Nuclear Reprogramming
2.2K
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...
2.2K
01:32Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells
2.1K
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.
Compact chromatin makes reprogramming difficult. Enzymes, such as histone demethylases and acetyltransferases, are often added during reprogramming to loosen the chromatin, making the DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Molecules that inhibit histone...
Compact chromatin makes reprogramming difficult. Enzymes, such as histone demethylases and acetyltransferases, are often added during reprogramming to loosen the chromatin, making the DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Molecules that inhibit histone...
2.1K
01:06Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
5.3K
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...
Somatic...
5.3K