Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells in rabbits

Abstract

We describe a procedure for generating induced pluripotent stem cell lines in rabbits, using retroviral vectors expressing Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc of human origin to reprogram rabbit fibroblasts prepared from an ear skin biopsy. We also provide detailed procedures for characterizing the resulting iPSC lines, including the analysis of pluripotency marker expression by RT-qPCR, immunolabeling, and fluorescentassociated cell sorting, the evaluation of pluripotency by teratoma production and genetic stability by karyotyping.