Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine

Cellular Reprogramming and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Cellular reprogramming and the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent significant breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, offering potential applications in disease modeling, drug discovery, and cell-based therapies. This field holds promise for treating a wide range of conditions by reprogramming somatic cells to a pluripotent state, enabling them to differentiate into various cell types. Cellular reprogramming involves converting differentiated somatic cells into a pluripotent state, allowing them to give rise to any cell type in the body. This process fundamentally changes the identity of the cell, enabling new therapeutic applications. iPSCs are generated by introducing specific transcription factors into somatic cells, effectively reprogramming them to a pluripotent state. These factors, known as Yamanaka factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc), were first identified by Shinya Yamanaka in 2006. iPSCs can differentiate into specific cell types, such as neurons, cardiomyocytes, and hepatocytes, offering potential for cell replacement therapies in conditions like Parkinson's disease, heart disease, and liver failure.