Induced Pluripotency: Generation of iPS Cells from Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts

The ability to directly reprogram mammalian adult somatic cells to an undifferentiated pluripotent stage similar to that of embryonic stem cells by introduction of a reduced number of transcription factors has opened new venues in many fields of Biology and Medicine. These reprogrammed cells called iPS cells (induced pluripotent stem cells) represent a powerful tool for the study of cell differentiation and pluripotency and a promise for regenerative therapy. Here, we describe a basic procedure for reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to iPS cells by expression of three transcription factors: Oct3/4, Sox2, and Klf4.