Reprogrammed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cells (Harvard Stem Cell Institute)

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) were generated from skin fibroblasts of a patient diagnosed with a familial form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), that carries a gene mutation, L144F, in the superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene, and from skin fibroblasts of her sister, who carries the same gene mutation but is clinically asymptomatic. 
The cells were reprogrammed, by viral transfection, with retroviruses encoding  KLF4, SOX2, OCT4, and c-MYC. The iPSCs were characterized and directly differentiated into motoneurons.