Navigating the Complexities of Stem Cell Reprogramming and Pluripotency: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Applications

Pluripotency is the unique ability of certain cells to differentiate into all cell types of the body. This lies at the heart of embryonic development and is fundamental to the promise of regenerative medicine. Achieving or maintaining pluripotency can now be accomplished in the laboratory through stem cell reprogramming, for example, by generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from somatic cells. These breakthroughs have transformed our understanding of cell identity, developmental biology, and disease modeling. However, both the induction and maintenance of pluripotency involve intricate molecular circuits, dynamic chromatin landscapes, and tightly regulated signaling networks. Dissecting the mechanisms that govern pluripotency, alongside addressing the inefficiencies and variability in reprogramming, is crucial for unlocking the full therapeutic and research potential of these remarkable cells.

This Research Topic seeks to highlight the most innovative research and comprehensive (mini)reviews in the field of stem cell reprogramming and pluripotency. We encourage contributions that elucidate the molecular frameworks, technological advances, and translational applications driving progress in this rapidly evolving area. Brief research reports, commentary, opinion pieces, and methods articles are also welcome to create an exhaustive overview of the field.

Topics of interest might include:

o Mechanisms governing the induction, maintenance, and exit from pluripotency

o Epigenetic and chromatin remodeling during reprogramming and pluripotent state transitions

o Overcoming barriers and addressing heterogeneity in reprogramming efficiency and pluripotent stem cell identity

o Novel technologies for generating, engineering, or characterizing pluripotent stem cells

o Biomedical and clinical applications of pluripotent stem cells and iPSCs, including disease modeling and regenerative therapies

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: iPSCs, pluripotency, stem cells, reprogramming, pluripotent stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, stem cell reprogramming, cell differentiation, cell fate, molecular mechanisms of pluripotency, stem cell identity, engineering pluripotent stem cells, regenerative medicine applications, translational stem cell research, therapeutic potential of ipscs

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.