Producing tissue specific stem cells for regeneration: how YAP/TAZ may prove useful

In humans, many organs fail to repair through endogenous mechanisms following injury. However, we know from developmental studies, and from research in other model organisms, that tissue regeneration is possible for many organs. For these reasons, regenerative medicine is constantly on the hunt for molecules that can unlock the natural ability of tissues to repair themselves. The homologous co-transcriptional regulators YAP and TAZ may be key molecules capable of resetting mature differentiated cells into a more regenerative state.