Epigenetic and metabolic remodeling during the acquisition of extended pluripotency

Totipotent cells with bidirectional chimeric ability attracts more attention from developmental biology and regenerative medicine. Human extended pluripotent stem cells can be obtained and maintained by converting conventional embryonic stem cells using the combo of chemicals, however, the transition and culture system is based on feeder and the mechanism during the acquisition of extended pluripotency is largely unknown. Here we first showed an adapted Matrigel-based feeder-free conversion and maintenance system to generate extended pluripotent stem cells from human embryonic stem cells. We demonstrated the extended pluripotency by molecular markers, chimeric ability and transcriptome. Our data provided an epigenetic and metabolic insight into the maintenance and transition of extended pluripotency.