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Abstract
Enforced ectopic expression of a cocktail of pluripotency-associated genes such as Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc can reprogram somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The remarkable proliferation ability of iPSCs and their aptitude to redifferentiate into any cell lineage makes these cells a promising tool for generating a variety of human tissue in vitro. Yet, pluripotency induction is an inefficient process, as cells undergoing reprogramming need to overcome developmentally imposed epigenetic barriers. Recent work has shed new light on the molecular mechanisms that drive the reprogramming of somatic cells to iPSCs. Here, we present current knowledge on the transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of pluripotency induction and discuss how variability in epigenetic states impacts iPSCs’ inherent biological properties.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank ML Gage for editing the manuscript.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.