From skin to stem cells: are we on to something big?

Abstract

Evaluation of:Okita K, Ichisaka T, Yamanaka S. Generation of germline-competent induced pluripotent stem cells. Nature 448(7151), 313–317 (2007).And: Wernig M, Meissner A, Foreman R et al.In vitro reprogramming of fibroblasts into a pluripotent ES-cell-like state. Nature 448(7151), 318–324 (2007).The skin is an organ of enormous regenerative potential; derived from its rich reservoir of epithelial and mesenchymal (dermal) stem cells. Skin fibroblasts have been manipulated to produce cell lineages that have differentiated into different organs in mice; these cells have also been used to produce transgenic mice comprised entirely from these cells. This paper aims to evaluate two recent independent reports that suggest adult skin fibroblasts can be genetically or chemically manipulated to revert into a pluripotent embryonic stem cell-like state in mouse models. These findings have important implications for regenerative medicine, cell-based therapies and tissue engineering.