Turning a mature cell back into a flexible stem-like state is more than a change in gene activity. The cell must also reorganise how it produces energy and handles chemical stress.
A peer-reviewed study published on 29 September 2026 in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences identifies a connection between two proteins, PARK7 and PINK1, during this process. The researchers worked with mouse embryonic fibroblasts, a type of connective-tissue cell, and laboratory models of induced pluripotent stem cells. Their result is about cell reprogramming in the lab; it does not show that an animal or person has been rejuvenated. Original study
A carefully controlled burst of stress
Induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, are ordinary cells pushed into a state that can give rise to many different cell types. One marker of that state is the gene Nanog. When the team reduced PARK7 activity, more Nanog-positive colonies formed, especially early in reprogramming. Study abstract and methods
PARK7 is involved in managing oxidative stress. With less of it, the cells accumulated more reactive oxygen species, or ROS: chemically active molecules that can damage cells in excess but also act as signals. The researchers observed stabilisation of HIF-1α, more genes associated with glycolysis, and more pluripotency markers. Glycolysis is a way to extract energy from sugar that does not rely on the same mitochondrial pathway as many mature cells. Giving an antioxidant substantially reduced the observed effect, supporting a role for ROS in the shift. Experimental findings
Where PINK1 fits
The team found that reducing PARK7 also reduced PINK1. Knocking down PINK1 produced a similar reprogramming pattern; restoring normal PINK1 reversed the increase in pluripotency markers. Together, those experiments support a PARK7–PINK1 pathway that links stress control, energy use and the genes involved in cell identity. Related context
For scientists trying to make reliable iPSCs, the finding suggests another lever to investigate. It also shows why simple slogans about removing “stress” from cells can mislead: the timing and amount of a signal may matter. Work in human cells, studies of the quality and safety of resulting cells, and eventually clinical evidence would be needed before any medical application could be claimed.
Featured image: representative image by Louis Reed / Unsplash. It does not depict the specific study, facility or equipment described.
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