Published online Jul 26, 2020. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v12.i7.527
Peer-review started: February 26, 2020
First decision: April 26, 2020
Revised: May 9, 2020
Accepted: May 28, 2020
Article in press: May 28, 2020
Published online: July 26, 2020
Processing time: 150 Days and 20.5 Hours
Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells present a seminal discovery in cell biology and promise to support innovative treatments of so far incurable diseases. To translate iPS technology into clinical trials, the safety and stability of these reprogrammed cells needs to be shown. In recent years, different non-viral transposon systems have been developed for the induction of cellular pluripotency, and for the directed differentiation into desired cell types. In this review, we summarize the current state of the art of different transposon systems in iPS-based cell therapies.
Core tip: The seminal discovery of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has opened up the possibility of converting most somatic cell types into a pluripotent state. The iPS cells possess most of the advantages of embryonic stem cells without the ethical stigma associated with derivation of the latter. This procedure has had a large impact on the generation of custom-made pluripotent cells, ideal for cell-type specific differentiation and regenerative medicine with or without genetic correction. In this review, we focus on updated information of transposon system-mediated cellular reprogramming to iPS cells and their application in cellular therapy.