mRNA profiling of genetically matched ESCs and iPSCs

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated by enforced expression of defined transcription factors in somatic cells. It remains controversial whether iPSCs are equivalent to blastocyst-derived embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Using genetically matched cells, we found that the overall mRNA expression patterns of these cell types are indistinguishable with the exception of a few transcripts encoded on chromosome 12qF1. iPSCs were derived from somatic tissues of chimeric mice generated with ESCs that carry an inducible cassette encoding for the reprogramming factors myc, Klf4, Oct4 and Sox2.