ABSTRACT: Since the initial discovery that OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC overexpression sufficed for the induction of pluripotency in somatic cells, methodologies replacing the original factors have enhanced our understanding of the reprogramming process. However, unlike in mouse, OCT4 has not been replaced successfully during reprogramming of human cells. Here we report on a strategy to do so. Through a combination of transcriptome and bioinformatic analysis we have identified factors previously characterized as being lineage specifiers that are able to replace OCT4 and SOX2 in the reprogramming of human fibroblasts. Our results show that is possible to replace OCT4 and SOX2 simultaneously with alternative lineage specifiers in the reprogramming of human cells. At a broader level, they also support a model in which counteracting lineage specification networks underlie the induction of pluripotency, We analyzed 3 arrays from human fibroblats; 1 array from 4F iPSC; 1 array from 4F iPSC; 1 array for GATA3SOX2, KLF4 and cMYC iPS; 1 array for GATA3vP16,SOX2VP16, KLF4 and cMYC iPS;1 array for GATA3vP16SOX2VP16, KLF4 and cMYC iPS; 1 array for GATA3vP16SOX2VP16, KLF4 and cMYC iPS; 1 array for hES4;1 array for hES10; 1 arrays for iPS generated with OCT4, ZIC2, ZNF521, ASCL1, HESX1,FOXD5,KLF4 and cMYC; 1 arrays for iPS generated with OCT4, ZIC2, ZNF521, ASCL1, HESX1,FOXD5,KLF4 and cMYC; 1 array for iPS generated with OCT4, SOX1, KLF4 and cMYC;1 array for iPS generated with OCT4, SOX1, KLF4 and cMYC;1 array for iPS generated with OCT4, ZNF521, KLF4 and cMYC: 1 array for iPS generated with OCT4, SOX3, KLF4 and cMYC