Lineage Reprogramming
Lineage Reprogramming - Related Videos
09:36
Lineage-reprogramming of Pericyte-derived Cells of the Adult Human Brain into Induced Neurons
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Cited by 21 •
2014
Targeting brain-resident cells for direct lineage-reprogramming offers new perspectives for brain repair. Here we describe a protocol of how to prepare cultures enriched for brain-resident pericytes from the adult human cerebral cortex and convert these into induced neurons by retrovirus-mediated expression of the transcription factors Sox2 and Ascl1.
11:46
Direct Lineage Reprogramming of Adult Mouse Fibroblast to Erythroid Progenitors
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Cited by 1 •
2018
Here we present our protocol for producing induced erythroid progenitors (iEPs) from mouse adult fibroblasts using transcription factor-driven direct lineage reprogramming (DLR).
09:38
Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Melanocytes
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Cited by 2 •
2021
Here, we describe an optimized direct reprogramming system for melanocytes and a high-efficiency, concentrated virus packaging system that ensures smooth direct reprogramming.
11:00
Reprogramming Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts with Transcription Factors to Induce a Hemogenic Program
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Cited by 1 •
2016
The protocol described here details the induction of a hemogenic program in mouse embryonic fibroblasts via overexpression of a minimal set of transcription factors. This technology may be translated to the human system to provide platforms for future study of hematopoiesis, hematologic disease, and hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
02:12
Direct Neuronal Reprogramming of Mouse Astrocytes into Neurons
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2025
This video showcases the direct reprogramming of astrocytes expressing transforming factors into neurons. Transformation factors trigger a cascade of molecular events facilitating astrocyte-to-neuron conversion. The process is further supported by supplying specific agents and supplements through a neuronal differentiation medium.
FAQs
Transcription factors redirect cell identity by changing which genes are active. During lineage reprogramming, they can activate gene programs associated with a desired lineage while suppressing genes that maintain the original specialized state. This shift alters the cell’s developmental program and can support either a pluripotent state or a new specialized identity, depending on the reprogramming strategy.
Epigenetic states help determine which genetic programs remain accessible or suppressed without changing the underlying DNA sequence. Reprogramming must therefore alter these regulatory states so genes linked to the new lineage become active and genes associated with the starting identity are reduced. These changes provide a biological mechanism for stabilizing a redirected cell state.
The two approaches redirect cell identity through different developmental routes. Generating induced pluripotent stem cells resets a mature cell to a pluripotent state, creating an intermediate with the potential to support multiple specialized identities. Direct conversion instead moves the starting cell toward a particular lineage, such as neurons, muscle cells, or blood cells, without that stated intermediate.
Outcome depends on how transcription factors, signaling pathways, and environmental conditions reshape gene regulation and epigenetic states. Activating the appropriate lineage-associated genes while suppressing the original identity is central to the transition. Because these inputs can redirect development in different ways, the selected combination determines whether the result is pluripotency or a particular specialized cell type.
A general strategy starts with a mature specialized cell and introduces influences that can redirect its developmental program. These influences may include transcription factors, signaling pathways, or environmental conditions. The process then aims to establish gene activity and epigenetic states associated with the desired outcome, such as induced pluripotency or a specialized lineage. The exact strategy depends on the target identity.
Researchers use lineage reprogramming to investigate how developmental programs are established and redirected, and to examine disease-related changes in cell identity. The approach can create induced pluripotent stem cells or specialized cell types for experimental study. These resulting cell systems provide ways to connect gene regulation and epigenetic control with development and disease biology.
Reprogrammed cells provide experimental platforms in which researchers can study cellular responses in a selected identity. Induced pluripotent stem cells and directly generated specialized cells can therefore contribute to drug-testing systems, allowing biological effects to be examined in relevant cell types. This application extends lineage reprogramming beyond developmental studies into biomedical research.
Its relevance to regenerative medicine comes from the possibility of producing cells with a desired specialized identity from mature cells or from induced pluripotent stem cells. Generating neurons, muscle cells, or blood cells illustrates the range of identities that can be pursued. These capabilities support research into replacing or restoring cells, although the overview presents this as a prospect rather than an established clinical outcome.