·    Enhances IPS cell generation efficiency

Induced pluripotent stem cells are very similar to embryonic stem cells and were originally generated by over expression of four nuclear reprogramming factors; Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and cMyc. Many cell types have been confirmed to be reprogrammable; however, efficiencies are very low ranging from 0.01%- 0.2%. The mechanism of how primary fibroblasts are reprogrammed to an ES-like state is currently unknown despite repeated attempts to find small molecule reprogramming agents. The current invention is based on the discovery that microRNAs are involved during IPS induction and can be introduced at key stages to enhance induction efficiency.