Research report 2019 - Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine
How to make stem cells truly pluripotent
Authors
Velychko, Sergiy; Schöler, Hans R.
Departments
Abteilung für Zell- und Entwicklungsbiologie
Summary
The overexpression of four specific transcription factors allows for reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which can give rise to all cell types of the adult body. We found that overexpression of one of these factors, Oct4, causes epigenetic changes that deteriorate the quality of the resultant iPSCs. Excluding Oct4 from the reprogramming cocktail leads to iPSCs with unprecedented developmental potential.