Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
The routes taken by cells during reprogramming remain a mystery in many aspects. In this collection, Nature Publishing Group brings together five research articles reporting on efforts to unlock the black box of reprogramming.
Nagy and colleagues have taken an unbiased approach to monitor the diversity of cell states that arise after induction of reprogramming factors expression. They uncovered a novel cell state and analysed the changes in transcriptome, proteome and epigenome associated with reprogramming.
Three news and Comment articles place these findings in perspective with our current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind reprogramming. Kerri Smith reflects on the challenges of reprogramming cells to pluripotency with David Cyranoski and Andras Nagy on the Nature podcast.
Pluripotent stem cells, which give rise to almost all cell types, can be engineered from mature cells. A thorough analysis of the process has led to the characterization of a new type of pluripotent cell. See Articles p.192 & p.198
Five papers report extensive transcriptomic, epigenomic and proteomic analyses of reprogramming, revealing the existence of several reprogramming routes and multiple unique pluripotent cell states.
This study presents an extensive molecular characterization of the reprograming process by analysis of transcriptomic, epigenomic and proteomic data sets describing the routes to pluripotency; it finds distinct routes towards two stable pluripotent states characterized by distinct epigenetic events.
The forced expression of key transcription factors can induce somatic cells to acquire pluripotency characteristics; here high levels of reprogramming factors are used to induce mouse embryonic fibroblasts to a stable alternative pluripotent state with low intercellular adhesion.
Somatic cell reprogramming can induce distinct pluripotent states. Here the authors perform time-resolved small RNA expression profiling during the reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts and observe that distinct miRNA milieus characterise alternate states of pluripotency.
During somatic cell reprogramming, the cell transits through intermediate states. Here, the authors perform an in-depth quantitative proteomic analysis of the reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells and observe two waves of proteome reorganisation.
Somatic cell reprogramming can induce distinct pluripotent states. Here the authors perform time-resolved whole-genome bisulfite sequencing during the reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts and report dynamic global DNA methylation changes.