Cytoplasmic fusion between an enlarged embryonic stem cell and a somatic cell using a microtunnel device

Seong Min Kim, Ken Ichi Wada, Masashi Ueki, Kazuo Hosokawa, Mizuo Maeda, Yasuyuki Sakai, Yoshihiro Ito

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Based on a previous finding that fusion of a somatic cell with an embryonic stem (ES) cell reprogrammed the somatic cell, genes for reprogramming transcription factors were selected and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology was developed. The cell fusion itself produced a tetraploid cell. To avoid nuclear fusion, a method for cytoplasmic fusion using a microtunnel device was developed. However, the ES cell was too small for cell pairing at the device. Therefore, in the present study, ES cell enlargement was carried out with the colchicine derivative demecolcine (DC). DC induced enlargement of ES cells without loss of their stemness. When an enlarged ES cell was paired with a somatic cell in the microtunnel device, cytoplasmic fusion was observed. The present method may be useful for further development of reprogramming techniques for iPS cell preparation without gene transfection.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)257-262
Number of pages6
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume520
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 3 2019
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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