For the first time in a non-mammalian species, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been derived in the quail. This intriguing article demonstrates that human reprogramming factors POU5F1, SOX2, NANOG, LIN28, KLF4 and C-MYC are capable of de-differentiating quail fibroblast cells back to a pluripotent state. These quail iPSCs not only have morphology and immunoreactivity of pluripotent stem cells, but also pass the functional test of chimerism. Read about it in Stem Cells and Development- Avian Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived Using Human Reprogramming Factors.
