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BMPs functionally replace Klf4 and support efficient reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts by Oct4 alone.

Jiekai Chen, Jing Liu, Jiaqi Yang, You Chen, Jing Chen, Su Ni, Hong Song, Lingwen Zeng, Ke Ding, and Duanqing Pei

Cell Res 21(1):205-12 (2011) PMID 21135873

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells by defined factors has become a useful model to investigate the mechanism of reprogramming and cell fate determination. However, the precise mechanism of factor-based reprogramming remains unclear. Here, we show that Klf4 mainly acts at the initial phase of reprogramming to initiate mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition and can be functionally replaced by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). BMPs boosted the efficiency of Oct4/Sox2-mediated reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to ∼1%. BMPs also promoted single-factor Oct4-based reprogramming of MEFs and tail tibial fibroblasts. Our studies clarify the contribution of Klf4 in reprogramming and establish Oct4 as a singular setter of pluripotency in differentiated cells.

DOI: 10.1038/cr.2010.172
Version: za2963e q8za6 q8zb6 q8zcb q8zdd q8zea q8zfb q8zg2

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