Differentiation of equine induced pluripotent stem cells into a keratinocyte lineage

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Impaired wound healing is a common problem in both human and veterinary patients. In the horse, chronic non-healing wounds pose a welfare implication and bear a significant financial impact on the equine industry. A critical component of chronic non-healing wounds is the absence of an epithelial cover (epidermis). Advances in skin grafting technology, based on the transplantation of adult stem cells, represent a novel approach to treating chronic wounds. Unfortunately, the resultant skin substitute lacks hair follicles and sweat glands. Embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, are able to commit to many different cell types, which may allow the generation of more complete grafts. However, ethical and technical problems preclude realizing the full potential of embryonic cells. The recent discovery that adult cells can be reprogrammed to an embryonic-like state presents enormous potential for tissue repair and regeneration. Indeed, these induced pluripotent cells can transform into keratinocytes and thus establish a fully functional epidermis, at least in the mouse. This study aims to develop a method to force induced pluripotent stem cells of horses to commit to a fully functional skin keratinocyte and to use these cells in an effort to reconstitute a normal epidermal cover when grafted onto wounds of horses. Advances achieved in the horse wound model may aid the validation of stem cell-based therapies required prior to moving into the human clinical setting.