Cellular plasticity: 1712 to the present day

Abstract

Cell identity is a fundamental feature of cells. Tissues are often organized into cellular hierarchies characterized by progressive differentiation and developmental commitment. However, it is been historically evident that the cells of many organisms of various phyla, especially in the context of injury, exhibit remarkable plasticity in terms of their ability to convert into other cell types. Recent modern studies, using genetic lineage tracing, have demonstrated that many mature functional cells retain a potential to undergo lineage reversion (dedifferentiation) or to convert into cells of other more distant lineages (transdifferentiation) following injury. Similarly, mimicking progenitor cell transdetermination, stem cells can interconvert. These forms of plasticity may be essential for organismal survival, and are likely part and parcel of regeneration.

Figure 1

Historical examples of cellular plasticity. a, Transdetermination following fly imaginal disc transplantation. b, Dedifferentiation followed by transdifferentiation regenerates a complete newt eye following lens extirpation.

Figure 2

Dedifferentiation. a, Transient dedifferentiation and redifferentiation of zebrafish cardiomyocytes following ventricular amputation. B, Stable dedifferentiation of mature secretory cells of the airway epithelium into long lived basal stem cells (upper panel) and dedifferentiation of AEC type1 cells into AEC type 2 cells following partial pneumonectomy.

Figure 3

Transdifferentiation and Transdetermination . a, Transdifferentiation of hepatocytes into biliary duct epithelial cells following toxin-induced biliary injury. B, Replication of ß-cells, or transdifferentiation of α cells and ∂-cells into ß-cells in response to ß-cell injury. c, Stem cell plasticity following epidermal and hair follicle injury.