Skin keratinocytes pre‐treated with embryonic stem cell‐conditioned medium or BMP4 can be directed to an alternative cell lineage

Abstract

Our results suggest that ESC-CM contains a number of factors, including BMP4, which are capable of reprogramming mouse skin keratinocytes to make them more developmentally potent, as evidenced by their ability to be re-differentiated into cells of the neuronal lineage. Our findings also imply a continuum of differentiation within the basal keratinocyte population. An increase in developmental potential combined with directed differentiation could increase the therapeutic relevancy of somatic cells.