Transdifferentiation articles within Nature

Featured

  • Article |

    A screen in which combinatorial pairs of transcription factors are exogenously expressed in fibroblasts identifies different combinations that reprogram these cells into induced neuronal cells with diverse functional properties.

    • Rachel Tsunemoto
    • , Sohyon Lee
    •  & Kristin K. Baldwin

  • Letter |

    The transcriptome changes driving the conversion of fibroblasts to neurons at the single-cell level are reported, revealing that early neuronal reprogramming steps are homogenous, driven by the proneural pioneer factor Ascl1; the expression of myogenic genes then has a dampening effect on efficiency, which needs to be counteracted by the neuronal factors Myt1l and Brn2 for more efficient reprogramming.

    • Barbara Treutlein
    • , Qian Yi Lee
    •  & Stephen R. Quake

  • Letter |

    Inhibitory antibodies to two specific human and mouse Notch ligands, Jagged1 and Jagged2, are generated and shown to have beneficial effects in a goblet cell metaplasia asthma model; systemic Jagged1 inhibition transdifferentiates secretory cells into ciliated cells in the mouse, demonstrating that Jagged1 from ciliated cells normally holds back secretory cells to adopt the ciliated fate.

    • Daniel Lafkas
    • , Amy Shelton
    •  & Christian W. Siebel

  • Article |

    In the worm C. elegans, a previously unidentified pair of bilateral neurons in the male (termed MCMs) are shown to arise from differentiated glial cells upon sexual maturation; these neurons are essential for a male-specific form of associative learning which balances chemotactic responses with reproductive priorities.

    • Michele Sammut
    • , Steven J. Cook
    •  & Arantza Barrios

  • Letter |

    An investigation of the influence of age on the generation of insulin-producing cells after β-cell loss in mice reveals that, whereas α-cells can reprogram to produce insulin from puberty to adulthood, efficient reconstitution in the very young is through δ-cell reprogramming, leading to complete diabetes recovery.

    • Simona Chera
    • , Delphine Baronnier
    •  & Pedro L. Herrera

  • Letter |

    A cardiac injury study in zebrafish reveals the plasticity of heart cell lineages as shown by a Notch-dependent transdifferentiation of atrial to ventricular cardiomyocytes, regenerating a cell type that is damaged in human heart failure.

    • Ruilin Zhang
    • , Peidong Han
    •  & Neil C. Chi

  • News |

    Researchers have worked out how to reprogram cells from human skin into functioning nerve cells.

    • Ewen Callaway

  • News |

    Direct conversion of cell types could offer safer, simpler treatments than stem cells.

    • Ewen Callaway

  • News & Views |

    Most insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells are irreplaceably lost in type 1 diabetes. In a mouse model, pancreatic α-cells seem to sacrifice their identity to replenish the low stock of β-cells1. Two experts discuss what this means for understanding the basic cell biology involved and its relevance to treating diabetes.boxed-text

    • Kenneth S. Zaret
    •  & Morris F. White

  • Article |

    In the pancreas, insulin-producing β-cells are long-lived and generally replicate seldom. They can do so, however, after increased metabolic demand or after injury. Here, a new transgenic model is developed in which β-cells are nearly completely ablated in mice. If given insulin, these mice survive, and grow new β-cells. Lineage-tracing shows that these new β-cells come from α-cells, revealing a previously disregarded degree of pancreatic cell plasticity.

    • Fabrizio Thorel
    • , Virginie Népote
    •  & Pedro L. Herrera

  • News & Views |

    In a feat of biological wizardry, one type of differentiated cell has been directly converted into another, completely distinct type. Notably, the approach does not require a stem-cell intermediate stage.

    • Cory R. Nicholas
    •  & Arnold R. Kriegstein

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