Figure 3.

Is transition through a state characterised by open, dynamic chromatin a pre-requisite for all cell fate transitions?

(A) Reprogramming to pluripotency appears to require increased chromatin plasticity. (B, C) Possible relationship between chromatin dynamics and trans-differentiation: (B) trans-differentiation via an upstream progenitor may be connected with a transient increase in chromatin permissiveness, and/or (C) direct trans-differentiation between two somatic states without transition through an intermediary state characterised by more plastic chromatin may be possible, although this has yet to be experimentally validated.