Auxiliary pluripotency-associated genes and their contributions in the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells

Abstract Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived using integration-free reprogramming approaches have improved the prospects of these cells for various biomedical applications. Typically, iPSCs are generated by introducing a specific cohort of reprogramming factors into adult somatic cells. The initial studies identified two reprogramming factor combinations [Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (also known as Yamanaka factors) and Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, and Lin28 (also known as Thomson factors)] to derive iPSCs. Subsequently, various studies have identified numerous genes playing a vital role in the generation of bona fide mouse and human iPSCs in a variety of reprogramming factor combinations. Further exploring the role of these genes would provide a holistic understanding of the reprogramming process and will immensely contribute toward realizing the full potential of these cells. In this chapter, we present a comprehensive overview of the crucial auxiliary genes, and this knowledge will pave the way for establishing strategies for safe and efficient reprogramming.