California's Stem Cell Agency
California Institute for regenerative medicine
The State stem cell agency

Embryonic stem cell-specific microRNAs promote induced pluripotency.

Journal: 
Nat Biotechnol
Publication Year: 
2009
Authors: 
Robert L Judson
Joshua E Babiarz
Monica Venere
Robert Blelloch
PubMed link: 
Read the abstract
Funding Grants: 
MicroRNA Regulation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Self-Renewal and Differentiation
Public Summary: 
Scientific Abstract: 
This report demonstrates that introduction of microRNAs (miRNAs) specific to embryonic stem cells enhances the production of mouse induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The miRNAs miR-291-3p, miR-294 and miR-295 increase the efficiency of reprogramming by Oct4, Sox2 and Klf4, but not by these factors plus cMyc. cMyc binds the promoter of the miRNAs, suggesting that they are downstream effectors of cMyc during reprogramming. However, unlike cMyc, the miRNAs induce a homogeneous population of iPS cell colonies.