摘要
Successful reprogramming of somatic cells to a pluripotent state can be achieved through the transient expression of defined transcription factors. One of the most exciting aspects of this technology is that human neurons generated from these induced pluripotent stem cells （iPSCs） retain the genetic information of the donor. This confers a remarkable advantage in the study of cellular dysfunction in neurological disease with defined genetic mutations. It is now possible to track pathogenesis in specific neuronal populations in a clinically-relevant genetic context. Optimal application of cellular reprogramming will be largely dependent on the specific features of the disease under investigation.
Successful reprogramming of somatic cells to a pluripotent state can be achieved through the transient expression of defined transcription factors. One of the most exciting aspects of this technology is that human neurons generated from these induced pluripotent stem cells （iPSCs） retain the genetic information of the donor. This confers a remarkable advantage in the study of cellular dysfunction in neurological disease with defined genetic mutations. It is now possible to track pathogenesis in specific neuronal populations in a clinically-relevant genetic context. Optimal application of cellular reprogramming will be largely dependent on the specific features of the disease under investigation.
