The 'Yamanaka factors'

The Yamanaka factors are a set of four genes—Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc—that can reprogram ordinary adult cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These iPSCs are versatile cells that can develop into any cell type in the body. Discovered by Dr. Shinya Yamanaka in 2006, this breakthrough revealed that mature cells can be reset to an embryonic-like state, offering potential for regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug testing. Essentially, the Yamanaka factors act as a molecular switch, reversing cell specialization and restoring a flexible, stem cell-like condition.