Anaerobicizing into pluripotency

Reprogramming involves multiple layers of molecular regulation, yet it remains relatively unknown how the cell's metabolism is changing and/or contributing to this process. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Folmes et?al. (2011) demonstrate that reprogramming induces a bioenergetic transition from an oxidative to a glycolytic state, and provide evidence to suggest that these changes may precede pluripotency.