title: Environmental epigenetic modifications and reprogramming-recalcitrant genes.
abstract: The term "environmental epigenetic modifications" refers to alterations in phenotype triggered by environmental stimuli via epigenetic mechanisms. Epidemiologic and animal model studies show that a subset of such environmental epigenetic marks may affect susceptibility to chronic diseases. A growing body of evidence regarding incompleteness of reprogramming indicates that the potential retention of pathogenic environmental epigenetics in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) should be seriously considered. Given this possibility, the optimization of methods for the generation of human induc pluripotent stem cells may require the identification of epigenetically appropriate somatic cell sources. Similarly, techniques for controlling epigenetic modification by environmental factors may also play a critical role in the development of epigenetically stable sources of pluripotent stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Sony Computer Science Laboratories Inc., Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 141-0022 Japan. k.sakurada@csl.sony.co.jp
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakurada
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D065150:Cellular Reprogramming / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C486780:NANOG protein, human; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase