Reprogramming Orangutan Fibroblasts to Integration-free Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Engineering
BME 195 - Senior Thesis Research
Working draft of thesis paper documenting the process of reprogramming orangutan fibroblasts (skin cells) into the world's first confirmed induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of that species. The project aimed to create an immortal source of orangutan tissues, and when the cells have completed their quality control phase they will join the lab's collection of iPSCs from other primates and used to study primate biology without having to continuously perform experiments on live animals. Skin cells were reprogrammed using a combination of engineered viruses, then the resulting iPSC-like colonies were put through an extensive array of tests to ensure they were truly iPSCs. Their chromosomes were examined to ensure they were not damaged, and molecular biology assays revealed whether or not the cells were expressing the proper genes. The cells were also tested for their ability to become other tissues in the orangutan body, including brain and muscle tissue. The project is still ongoing, but the final tests are expected to be carried out by the end of the school year.
