This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Scientists have uncovered new details about endothelial cell differentiation that could lead to better management of vascular disease. Endothelial cells are often damaged in conditions like coronary artery disease. This damage can be repaired through the transplantation of healthy endothelial cells. But acquiring these cells at the quantities and purity needed for therapeutic transplantation is no easy task. To help solve this problem, the researchers took a closer look at the molecular factors that direct stem cells to adopt an endothelial phenotype. The team started by isolating mononuclear cells from just 1 mL of blood. They later reprogrammed these cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. To accomplish this, they used an optimized, non-integrating protocol – with very good results. The stem cells were then differentiated into endothelial cells, and the researchers tracked gene expression throughout the process..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

In this course, we will explore how animals determine and maintain cell fate. We will discuss changes to DNA structure and packaging, special proteins (known as “master regulators”) with the ability to alter cell fate via transcription, cell-cell signaling, and RNA localization.
This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

This presentation was developed by Martha Lopez Yrigoyen. It is intended as a flexible tool for lectures and tutorials for first year students in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences. Diagrams are also encouraged to be used by scientists, science communicators and educators.Not all slides will be useful for everyone or for every occasion. Slides can be adapted for the purpose needed. There are two main activities intended for undergraduate students to engage and deepen their knowledge in the field of stem cells. The first  activity is more general and its aim is to familiarize students with the core concepts in stem cell and regenerative medicine. The second activity is a novel and current example of how induced pluripotent stem cells are being used in cutting edge biomedical research. The two publications suggested for students to read can be swapped for other examples. Presentationislicensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/