Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Direct Reprogramming of Human Fibroblasts into Myoblasts to Investigate Therapies for Neuromuscular Disorders
Published on: April 3, 2021
MYOD modified mRNA drives direct on-chip programming of human pluripotent stem cells into skeletal myocytes
Giulia Selmin1, Onelia Gagliano2, Paolo De Coppi1
1Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, WC1N1EH, London, UK.
Abstract:
Drug screening and disease modelling for skeletal muscle related pathologies would strongly benefit from the integration of myogenic cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells within miniaturized cell culture devices, such as microfluidic platform. Here, we identified the optimal culture conditions that allow direct differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells in myogenic cells within microfluidic devices. Myogenic cells are efficiently derived from both human embryonic (hESC) or induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) in eleven days by combining small molecules and non-integrating modified mRNA (mmRNA) encoding for the master myogenic transcription factor MYOD. Our work opens new perspective for the development of patient-specific platforms in which a one-step myogenic differentiation could be used to generate skeletal muscle on-a-chip.
Related Concept Videos
Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Somatic...
Satellite Stem Cells and Muscular Dystrophy
Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming
Chromatin Modification in 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...

