Small RNAs Loom Large During Reprogramming
June 2011
in “
Cell stem cell
”
TLDR MicroRNAs can reprogram cells into stem cells faster and more efficiently than traditional methods.
In 2011, studies by the Morrisey and Mori groups demonstrated that human and mouse somatic cells could be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using microRNAs (miRNAs) without ectopic protein expression. The Morrisey study used lentiviral expression of the miR302-367 cluster in fibroblasts, while the Mori group used a cocktail of seven miRNAs. These miRNA-based methods were more efficient and faster than traditional transcription factor-mediated reprogramming, suggesting miRNAs could replace transcription factors in reprogramming for regenerative therapies.
