Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of producing induced beta cells from urine-derived cells, the method comprising providing urine-derived cells; inducing the urine-derived cells by culturing said urine-derived cells in a primary induction culture medium comprising an effective amount of at least one small molecule reprogramming factor(s) for a first period of time to obtain induced endoderm cells; inducing the induced endoderm cells by culturing said induced endoderm cells in a secondary induction culture medium comprising an effective amount of at least one small molecule reprogramming factor(s) for a second period of time to obtain induced pancreatic precursor cells; and inducing the induced pancreatic precursor cells by culturing said pancreatic precursor cells in a tertiary induction culture medium comprising an effective amount of at least one small molecule reprogramming factor(s) for a third period of time to obtain induced beta cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a multipotent stem cell, said method comprising culturing at least one fibroblast cell in the presence of an effective amount of at least one small molecule reprogramming factor(s) that induces the cell to de-differentiate into a multipotent stem cell, wherein the method excludes the use of reprogramming factor(s) that are not small molecules. The small molecule reprogramming factor(s) may include a G9a HMTase inhibitor(s) and/or a MEK inhibitor(s) optionally in combination with other small molecule reprogramming factor(s). The invention also includes methods of differentiating the multipotent stem cells, cells produced by the methods, assays using the cells and kits for use in the methods.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of producing induced beta cells from urine-derived cells, the method comprising providing urine-derived cells; inducing the urine-derived cells by culturing said urine-derived cells in a primary induction culture medium comprising an effective amount of at least one small molecule reprogramming factor(s) for a first period of time to obtain induced endoderm cells; inducing the induced endoderm cells by culturing said induced endoderm cells in a secondary induction culture medium comprising an effective amount of at least one small molecule reprogramming factor(s) for a second period of time to obtain induced pancreatic precursor cells; and inducing the induced pancreatic precursor cells by culturing said pancreatic precursor cells in a tertiary induction culture medium comprising an effective amount of at least one small molecule reprogramming factor(s) for a third period of time to obtain induced beta cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a multipotent stem cell, said method comprising culturing at least one fibroblast cell in the presence of an effective amount of at least one small molecule reprogramming factor(s) that induces the cell to de-differentiate into a multipotent stem cell, wherein the method excludes the use of reprogramming factor(s) that are not small molecules. The small molecule reprogramming factor(s) may include a G9a HMTase inhibitor(s) and/or a MEK inhibitor(s) optionally in combination with other small molecule reprogramming factor(s). The invention also includes methods of differentiating the multipotent stem cells, cells produced by the methods, assays using the cells and kits for use in the methods.