Modulating Cell Fate as a Therapeutic Strategy

Brian Lin; Priya Srikanth; Alison C Castle; Sagar Nigwekar; Rajeev Malhotra; Jenna L Galloway; David B Sykes; Jayaraj Rajagopal

doi:10.1016/j.stem.2018.05.009

Modulating Cell Fate as a Therapeutic Strategy

Cell Stem Cell. 2018 Sep 6;23(3):329-341. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2018.05.009. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

Authors

Brian Lin¹, Priya Srikanth², Alison C Castle², Sagar Nigwekar³, Rajeev Malhotra⁴, Jenna L Galloway⁵, David B Sykes¹, Jayaraj Rajagopal⁶

Affiliations

¹ Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
² Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Pathways Program, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
³ Pathways Program, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Pathways Program, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Division of Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
⁵ Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
⁶ Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Pathways Program, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address: jrajagopal@mgh.harvard.edu.

Abstract

In injured tissues, regeneration is often associated with cell fate plasticity, in that cells deviate from their normal lineage paths. It is becoming increasingly clear that this plasticity often creates alternative strategies to restore damaged or lost cells. Alternatively, cell fate plasticity is also part and parcel of pathologic tissue transformations that accompany disease. In this Perspective, we summarize a few illustrative examples of physiologic and aberrant cellular plasticity. Then, we speculate on how one could enhance endogenous plasticity to promote regeneration and reverse pathologic plasticity, perhaps inspiring interest in a new class of therapies targeting cell fate modulation.

Keywords: cell plasticity; dedifferentiation; regeneration; regenerative medicine.

Modulating Cell Fate as a Therapeutic Strategy

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding