Reprogramming cellular fate using defined factors

Abstract

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have a vast therapeutic potential given their pluripotency, or the ability to differentiate into tissues from all three germ layers. One of the ultimate goals of regenerative medicine is to isolate pluripotent stem cells from patients. Nuclear reprogramming offers the possibility of creating patient-specific cell lines, thus abrogating the need for immunosuppressants following cell transplantation therapy. It was recently reported that the forced expression of four transcription factors, Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc and Klf4 can induce a pluripotent state in somatic cells, without the need for embryo destruction. The work presented here aims to characterize reprogramming using defined factors and provide insight into the mechanisms governing this process. It also seeks to identify transient cues to induce reprogramming in somatic cells, alleviating the need for virally transduced transcription factors that hinder its eventual clinical use.