Activating genes for reprogramming factors for a short time transforms large numbers of differentiated cells into multipotent forms that could be useful for cell-based therapies.
Among the first to discover epigenetic reprogramming during mammalian development, Wolf Reik has been studying the dynamics of the epigenome for 30 years.
Compared to induced pluripotent stem cells generated from somatic cells, stem cells created by nuclear transfer appear to be closer to the genetic state of embryonic cells.