Mice Cloned from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)

Differentiated somatic cells of various species can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by ectopically expressing a combination of several transcription factors that are highly enriched in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The generation of iPSCs in large animals has raised the possibility of producing genetically modified large animals through the nuclear transplantation approach. However, it remains unknown whether iPSCs could be used for generating cloned animals through the nuclear transfer method. Here, we show the successful production of viable cloned mice from inducible iPSCs through the nuclear transfer approach, and the efficiency is similar to that of using ESCs derived via normal fertilization. Furthermore, the cloned mice are fertile and can produce second-generation offspring. These efforts strengthen the possibility of utilizing iPSCs to generate gene-modified large animals for pharmaceutical purposes in the future.