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STEM CELLS

Cell identity and plasticity uncoupled

Nature Cell Biology volume 24, pages 1326–1327 (2022)Cite this article

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The mechanisms that underlie cell identity remain poorly understood. A study now dissects the transcriptional trajectories of single cells undergoing malignant transformation or reprogramming to pluripotency and reveals regulators of cell plasticity in these biological processes.

Under most circumstances, the identity of differentiated cells is stable to ensure tissue integrity throughout adult life. Such stability is maintained by transcription factors that determine the gene expression programme characterizing each cell type. However, somatic cells can be experimentally induced to change their identity, for example, skin cells can be reprogrammed into embryonic-like stem cells1 or transdifferentiated directly into other somatic cell types2. These reprogramming techniques are valuable for understanding how and why cells change identity, especially in the context of disease processes, like oncogenesis, where cellular plasticity is involved.

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Fig. 1: Determinants of cell plasticity revealed.

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Acknowledgements

B.D.S. is grateful to J. Brumbaugh, M. Hoetker, J. Lee, R. J. Parchem, J. L. Sardina and members of the Di Stefano laboratory for critical reading of the manuscript. Research in the Di Stefano laboratory is supported by a Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas Recruitment of First-Time, Tenure-Track Faculty Member Award (RR200079), an American Society of Hematology Scholar Award, a Milky Way Research Foundation Investigator Award, and a Nancy Chang, PhD Award for Research Excellence. B.D.S. is a CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Bruno Di Stefano

  2. Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Bruno Di Stefano

  3. Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Bruno Di Stefano

  4. Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Bruno Di Stefano

  5. Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Bruno Di Stefano

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  1. Bruno Di Stefano
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Correspondence to Bruno Di Stefano.

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Di Stefano, B. Cell identity and plasticity uncoupled. Nat Cell Biol 24, 1326–1327 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-022-00943-7

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