Transdifferentiation

KLF4-induced phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells occurs in atherosclerosis. Now, KLF4 is shown to induce a glycolytic shift involving upregulation of PFKFB3 expression through circular RNA CTDP1 and eukaryotic elongation factor eEF1A2.

Neuroectodermal cells produced via the direct reprogramming of human astrocytes can be induced to form spinal-cord organoids with functional neurons specific to the dorsal and ventral domains.

Here the authors elucidate a simple transcription factor code that underlies the complex genetic specification of enteroendocrine cell (EE) subtypes, and reveal significant cellular plasticity amongst EE subtypes.