Cellular reprogramming
DEZelluläre Reprogrammierung
Cellular reprogramming is the lab process of converting one cell type into another. Most often, it turns a specialized body cell back into a pluripotent stem cell. It does this by forcing a cell to express specific transcription factors, known as OSKM (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc). The process resets the epigenome, including DNA methylation and histone marks. But here is the key nuance. For rejuvenation, researchers explore partial or cyclic reprogramming, not full conversion to an iPSC. That is because complete reprogramming erases a cell's identity, so it would no longer be the muscle or nerve cell your body needs. Reprogramming underpins iPSC technology. And it is being studied as a route to organ regeneration and whole-body rejuvenation.
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Sources
- Takahashi & Yamanaka. (2006). Induction of pluripotent stem cells from mouse embryonic and adult fibroblast cultures by defined factors. *Cell*doi:10.1016/j.cell.2006.07.024
- Ocampo et al.. (2016). In vivo amelioration of age-associated hallmarks by partial reprogramming. *Cell*doi:10.1016/j.cell.2016.11.052