Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Mesodermal and Ectodermal Derivatives Is Independent of the Type of Isogenic Reprogrammed Somatic Cells.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have the capacity to unlimitedly proliferate and differentiate into all types of somatic cells. This capacity makes them a valuable source of cells for research and clinical use. However, the type of cells to be reprogrammed, the selection of clones, and the various genetic manipulations during reprogramming may have an impact both on the properties of iPSCs and their differentiated derivatives. To assess this influence, we used isogenic lines of iPSCs obtained by reprogramming of three types of somatic cells differentiated from human embryonic stem cells. We showed that technical manipulations in vitro, such as cell sorting and selection of clones, did not lead to the bottleneck effect, and that isogenic iPSCs derived from different types of somatic cells did not differ in their ability to differentiate into the hematopoietic and neural directions. Thus, the type of somatic cells used for the generation of fully reprogrammed iPSCs is not important for the practical and scientific application of iPSCs.

[Genetic Cell Reprogramming: A New Technology for Basic Research and Applied Usage].

Gene function disclosure and the development of modern technologies of genetic manipulations offered the possibility of genetic reprogramming application to alter cell specialization. With the involvement of a gene set that encodes the transcription factors responsible for the pluripotent state, any cell of an adult body could be reprogrammed into the embryonal.state and pluripotency could be induced in this cell. Such reprogrammed cells were called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and they are capable of again passing through all developmental stages. This provides new possibilities for studies of the basic mechanisms of developmental biology, the formation of specific cell types, and the whole body. In culture, iPSCs could be maintained permanently in a nontransformed state and permit genetic manipulations while maintaining their pluripotent properties. Such a unique combination of their properties makes them an attractive tool for studies of various pathologies and for the delineation of treatment approaches. This review discusses the basic and applied aspects of iPSCs biology.

Generation and characterization of human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Cell biology is one of the most rapidly developing branches in modern biology. The most interesting stages in early embryonic development for cell biology are those when a large number of cells are pluripotent. Inner-cell mass of blastocyst can be cultivated in vitro, and these cells are called embryonic stem cells. They are able to differentiate into different types of cells and tissues. But the greatest interest for practical application is the return (reprogramming) of adult cells into the pluripotent state. In our study for the first time induced pluripotent cells were derived from human umbilical vein endothelial cells by genetic reprogramming. We showed that these cells are similar to embryonic stem cells in their morphology, function, and molecular level. We are the first to show that reprogramming sufficiently changes X-chromosome chromatin state, which is normally inactive in female endothelial cells, towards its activation, providing evidence that endothelial cells are reprogrammed at an epigenetic level.