Mesenchymal stem cells with increased developmental potency by expressing Nanog

Disclosed herein are methods and materials for producing a more developmentally potent cell from a less developmentally potent cell. Specifically exemplified herein are methods that comprise introducing an expressible dedifferentiating polynucleotide sequence into a less developmentally potent cell, wherein the transfected less developmentally potent cell becomes a more developmentally potent cell capable of differentiating to a less developmentally potent cell of its lineage of origin or a different lineage.