Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

What are iPSCs?

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are adult cells, like a skin or blood cell, that have been genetically reprogrammed back into the pluripotent state from which they can be re-differentiated into any adult cell type.

What is the pluripotent state?

It is a state in which a cell presents two properties: (a) capacity for self-renewal, meaning they can proliferate (almost) indefinitely, while maintaining their undifferentiated identity; and (b) potential to differentiate into any specialized cell type derived from the primary embryonic germ layers (endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm), meaning they can become one of the 200 or more somatic cell types present in adult organisms.

How are iPSCs made?

iPSCs are created by reprogramming adult cell types to express specific genes associated with the pluripotent state. This process is done usually by inducing the expression of “Yamanaka factors”, named after Shinya Yamanaka from Kyoto University and described in his 2006 and 2007 publications. By increasing the expression of pluripotency-associated genes, adult cells are transformed back into a state in which they closely resemble an embryonic stem cell.

What are iPSCs used for?

iPSCs are a cutting edge of technology in biomedical research and have numerous medical applications from regenerative medicince and drug development to personalized medicine and disease modeling. They provide an efficient and easily replicable microcosm of the human body for research and preclinical experiments, enabling patient-specific studies and the development of autologous cell therapies.

What are the advantages of iPSCs?

iPSCs can be made from any adult cell type, can be proliferated indefinitely, and can be re-differentiated into any other adult cell type. Additionally, they allow for personalized studies and therapies, as they present the genetic make up of the donor of the original cell source.