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The genetics of induced pluripotency

¹ Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute
² Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, MARS Building, Toronto Medical Discovery Tower, 101 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1L7

Correspondence should be addressed to J Rossant; Email: janet.rossant{at}sickkids.ca

The flurry of recent publications regarding reprogramming of mature cell types to induced pluripotent stem cells raises the question: what exactly is pluripotency? A functional definition is provided by examination of the developmental potential of pluripotent stem cell types. Defining pluripotency at the molecular level, however, can be a greater challenge. Here, we examine the emerging list of genes associated with induced pluripotency, with particular attention to their functional requirement in the mouse embryo. Knowledge of the requirement for these genes in the embryo and in embryonic stem cells will advance our understanding of how to reverse the developmental clock for therapeutic benefit.