Victor Valdespino^,, Patricia M. Valdespino, Victor Valdespino Junior

Cellular differentiation is a highly complex process and we need a deeper understanding of their mechanisms. Reprogramming somatic cells follows the inverse order to the physiologic differentiation process. Reprogramming somatic cells may be used as a simplistic model to understand the cellular differentiation process. The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) requires going along through a complex network of genetic and epigenetic pathways. Dedifferentiation from somatic cells to iPSCs involves multiple genetic-epigenetic signaling pathways to obtain high levels of plasticity, self-renewal, motility and loss of specialized cellular functions. Eleven main signaling pathways have been involved in cell fate control and embryonic patterning. Extensive crosstalk among epigenetic pathways modifies DNA, histones and nucleosomes which make up the epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation in differentiation and reprogramming processes.

cellular differentiation process, reprogramming, genetic and epigenetic mechanisms