A method of obtaining a pluripotent-like multipotent cell, including providing a cell of a first type which is not a pluripotent-like multipotent cell; contacting the cell of a first type with an agent capable of remodeling the chromatin and/or DNA of the cell; transiently increasing expression of at least one pluripotent gene regulator in the cell of a first type, to a level at which the at least one pluripotent gene regulator is capable of driving transformation of the cell of a first type into the pluripotent-like multipotent cell; and placing or maintaining the cell in a differentiation medium and maintaining intracellular levels of the at least one pluripotent gene regulator for a sufficient period of time to allow a stable pluripotent-like multipotent cell to be obtained; wherein the pluripotent-like multipotent cell so obtained does not exhibit teratoma formation in vivo.

The present disclosure relates to methods of producing a preparation of CD140a/PDGFR positive cells from pluripotent cells, where the preparation comprises oligodendrocyte progenitor cells co-expressing OLIG2 and CD140a/PDGFR. The cell preparation has an in vivo myelination efficiency that is equal to or greater than the in vivo myelination efficiency of a preparation of A2B5.sup.+/PSA-NCAM.sup. sorted fetal human tissue derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Methods of enriching and therapeutic uses of the disclosed cell preparation are also described.

The present disclosure relates to a preparation of CD140a/PDGFR positive cells that comprises oligodendrocyte progenitor cells co-expressing OLIG2 and CD140a/PDGFR. The preparation of cells is derived from pluripotent cells that were derived from skin cells, fibroblasts, umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, bone marrow, or other somatic cells. The cell preparation has an in vivo myelination efficiency that is equal to or greater than the in vivo myelination efficiency of a preparation of A2B5+/PSA-NCAM sorted fetal human tissue derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Methods of making, isolating and using the disclosed cell preparation are also described.

The present disclosure relates to a preparation of CD140a/PDGFR positive cells that comprises oligodendrocyte progenitor cells co-expressing OLIG2 and CD140a/PDGFR. The preparation of cells is derived from pluripotent cells that were derived from skin cells, fibroblasts, umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, bone marrow, or other somatic cells. The cell preparation has an in vivo myelination efficiency that is equal to or greater than the in vivo myelination efficiency of a preparation of A2B5+/PSA-NCAM sorted fetal human tissue derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Methods of making, isolating and using the disclosed cell preparation are also described.

The present disclosure relates to a preparation of CD140a/PDGFR positive cells that comprises oligodendrocyte progenitor cells co-expressing OLIG2 and CD140a/PDGFR. The preparation of cells is derived from pluripotent cells that were derived from skin cells, fibroblasts, umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, bone marrow, or other somatic cells. The cell preparation has an in vivo myelination efficiency that is equal to or greater than the in vivo myelination efficiency of a preparation of A2B5.sup.+/PSA-NCAM.sup.sorted fetal human tissue derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Methods of making, isolating and using the disclosed cell preparation are also described.

The present invention relates to novel melanocytes and melanoblasts. In addition, the present invention relates to a novel method for producing melanocytes and melanoblasts. Specifically, provided is novel melanocytes of which gene expression, melanin content, and tyrosinase activity are different from those of conventional melanocytes. Even more specifically, provided is novel melanoblasts of which the gene expression, the melanin content the tyrosinase activity, and the protein expression are different from those of conventional melanocytes. Additionally, provided is a novel method for producing melanocytes or melanoblasts by culturing keratinocytes.

The present invention provides for methods, compositions, and kits for producing an induced pluripotent stem cell from a non-pluripotent mammalian cell using a 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) activator or a compound that promotes glycolytic metabolism as well as other small molecules.

Described herein are reprogrammed cells, and methods for cell dedifferentiation, transformation and eukaryotic cell reprogramming. Also described are cells, cell lines, and tissues that can be transplanted in a patient after steps of in vitro dedifferentiation and in vitro reprogramming. In particular embodiments the cells are Stem-Like Cells (SLCs), including Neural Stem-Like Cells (NSLCs), Cardiac Stem-Like Cells (CSLC), Hematopoietic Stem-Like Cells (HSLC), Pancreatic Progenitor-Like Cells, and Mesendoderm-like Cells. Also described are methods for generating these cells from human somatic cells and other types of cells. Also provided are compositions and methods of using of the cells so generated in human therapy and in other areas.

Methods for accelerated cell lineage conversion and the treatment of patients with the lineage converted cells are provided. The methods include the steps of transfecting a cell with a composition that includes at least one synthetic mRNA encoding a chimeric protein that corresponds to an engineered fusion of a transcription factor and an heterologous peptide sequence derived from the C-terminal TAD of Gal4. The TAD domain enhances the epigenetic remodeling activity of the chimeric protein increasing the speed of lineage conversion. The converted cells may be used for research or administered to a human or animal patient as a therapy. In one preferred embodiment, the reprogramming of a somatic cell to pluripotency is accelerated by using a cocktail of mRNAs expressing a combination of wild-type or engineered reprogramming factors where Oct4 and/or Sox2 and/or Nanog are expressed as Gal4 TAD chimeras.

A method of obtaining a neural multipotent, unipotent or somatic cell, including: i) providing a cell of a first type which is not a neural multipotent, unipotent or somatic cell; ii) increasing expression of at least one neural multipotent or unipotent gene regulator in the cell of a first type, to a level at which the at least one neural multipotent or unipotent gene regulator is capable of driving transformation of the cell of a first type into the neural multipotent, unipotent or somatic cell, wherein the at least one multipotent or unipotent gene regulator is Musashi1 (Msi1), Neurogenin 2 (Ngn2), or both Msi1 and Ngn2; and iii) placing or maintaining the cell in a neural cell culture medium and maintaining sufficient intracellular levels of the at least one multipotent or unipotent gene regulator for a sufficient period of time to allow a stable neural multipotent, unipotent or somatic cell to be obtained.