“C/EBPa induced immune cell transdifferentiation reveals two complementary macrophage enhancer pathways during hematopoiesis”. Chris Van Oevelen

It is known that over expression of one single transcription factor, C/EBPa, is sufficient to convert B cells into macrophages thus regulating the transdifferentiation towards different lineages. However, the molecular mechanisms through which cells acquire a new fate are still unclear. Chris Van Oevelen, from the Thomas Graf’s lab at CRG, showed that C/EBPa binds a class of specific enhancers into macrophages that are inactive and that, upon binding, are activated and induce a delayed up-regulation of nearby macrophage genes.