Breakthrough Publications in the iPSC Field

The Allele Blog is a great place to read about emerging technology and publications in various fields related to Molecular Biology. Recently there have been a number of publications related to the field of induced pluripotent stem cells, which is a topic of particular interest here at Allele. This is because one of our principal research areas is iPSC reprogramming, and we published our advancements in reprogramming last year in Nature's Scientific Reports.

In the paper “Deterministic direct reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotency” by Rais Y., et al. researchers reported near 100% conversion when reprogramming cells to iPSCs. The publication describes how the depletion of Mbd3 allows for cell synchronization during the reprogramming process which drastically improved reprogramming efficiency.

Another recent publication, “Reprogramming in vivo produces teratomas and iPS cells with totipotency features” by Abad et al. explores the concept of in vivo reprogramming. Through transitory induction mice were exposed to the four reprogramming factors (OSKM), the end result was the emergence of teratomas in various organs. The paper goes on to elaborate a number of qualitative advantages exhibited in the in vivo generated cells compared to traditional in vitro iPSCs.

In the publication “Modified mRNA directs the fate of heart progenitor cells and induces vascular regeneration after myocardial infarction” by Zangi et al. the subject matter shifts from reprogramming technology to potential use of iPSCs. In the paper researchers describe the introduction of modified RNA encoding human vascular endothelial growth factor-A which resulted in the expansion and differentiation of heart progenitor cells in mouse models. The end result was improvement in heart function and long term survival in recipients.

All of these publications were highlighted and discussed on the Allele Blog over the past month. We feel it is important to focus on advancements within our fields of interest and to facilitate discussion regarding the impact of publications. Check out the Allele Blog every week for updates and insights on cutting edge research.