Chemical-Mediated Somatic Cell Reprogramming and Transdifferentiation

The revolutionizing somatic cell reprogramming/transdifferentiation technologies provide a new path for cell replacement therapies and drug screening. The original method for reprogramming involves the delivery of exogenous transcription factors, leading to the safety concerns about the possible genome integration. Many efforts have been taken to avoid genetic alteration in somatic cell reprogramming or transdifferentiation by using non-integrating gene delivery approaches, cell membrane permeable proteins, and small molecule compounds.