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Related Concept Videos

Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming01:29

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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...
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Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming01:24

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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...
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Forced Transdifferentiation01:28

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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.
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Introduction to Nuclear Reprogramming01:14

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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...
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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.
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Somatic Lineage Reprogramming.

Hannah Shelby1, Tara Shelby1, Marius Wernig1

  • 1Departments of Pathology and Chemical and Systems Biology, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
|December 7, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cell differentiation is not irreversible. Discoveries in somatic cell nuclear transfer and reprogramming factors show that mature cells can revert to a pluripotent state or convert to other cell types.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Epigenetics
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Cell specification was traditionally considered a rigid, unidirectional process.
  • Epigenetic marks were thought to make differentiated cell states permanent.
  • Somatic cell nuclear transfer demonstrated reversibility of terminal differentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To challenge the dogma of irreversible cell differentiation.
  • To explore the potential for induced cell fate conversion.
  • To investigate the plasticity of somatic cell identity.

Main Methods:

  • Somatic cell nuclear transfer in amphibians and mammals.
  • Identification of lineage-determining factors (e.g., MyoD).
  • Reprogramming fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using defined factors.
  • Direct conversion of fibroblasts into other cell types (e.g., neurons).

Main Results:

  • Somatic cell nuclear transfer proved terminal differentiation is reversible.
  • Defined factors can reprogram somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
  • iPSCs are functionally and molecularly equivalent to embryonic stem cells (ESCs).
  • Fibroblasts can be directly converted into neurons, demonstrating inter-germ layer conversion.

Conclusions:

  • Cellular identity is more plastic than previously assumed.
  • Defined factors can induce authentic cellular reprogramming and lineage conversion.
  • The potential exists to convert cells into virtually any desired lineage with identified factors.