Reprogramming of somatic cells, such as skin fibroblasts, to pluripotency was first achieved by forced expression of four transcription factors using integrating retroviral or lentiviral vectors, which result in integration of exogenous DNA into cellular genome and present a formidable barrier to therapeutic application of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). To facilitate the translation of iPSC technology to clinical practice, mRNA reprogramming method that generates transgene-free iPSCs is a safe and efficient method, eliminating bio-containment concerns associated with viral vectors, as well as the need for weeks of screening of cells to confirm that viral material has been completely eliminated during cell passaging.
Keywords: Induced pluripotent stem cells; Modified mRNA; Reprogramming; Transfection; Transgene-free.