Researchers here discuss an interesting approach to transdifferentiation as a basis for therapy. In transdifferention, a cell of one type is reprogrammed to become another type directly, without passing through an intermediary stage of dedifferentiation to pluripotency. There has long been interest in directly converting scar tissue cells into heart muscle cells following a heart attack or similar injury, as animal studies have been promising. How do cells hold on to their state and resist a change of cell identity, however? If the mechanisms holding cell state firm can be identified and inhibited, then cells can be more readily changed into other cell types. That is demonstrated here in heart tissue, a novel approach to the challenge…
Inhibiting the Ability of Cells to Resist Reprogramming Improves Transdifferentiation Therapy
Researchers here discuss an interesting approach to transdifferentiation as a basis for therapy. In transdifferention, a cell of one type is reprogrammed to become another type directly, without passing through an intermediary stage of dedifferentiation to pluripotency. There has long been interest in directly converting scar tissue cells into heart muscle cells following a heart attack or similar injury, as animal studies have been promising. How do cells hold on to their state and resist a change of cell identity, however? If the mechanisms holding cell state firm can be identified and inhibited, then cells can be more readily changed into other cell types. That is demonstrated here in heart tissue, a novel approach to the challenge…