What are “induced pluripotent stem cells” or iPS cells?
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) are cells derived from adult tissue (e.g. skin tissue) that have been artificially reprogrammed to share many of the same characteristics as pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hES cells). These cells, if reprogrammed, have the ability to proliferate and differentiate into all types of cells and tissues within the body. In the last few years, research has been successful in generating iPS cells from both mice and human cells. The development of iPS cells has led to much enthusiasm since iPS cell research presents a number of advantages over hES cell research. For example, iPS cell research represents a method of creating cells that share many of the same characteristics as hES cells without involving the destruction of human embryos. Also, iPS technology is more accessible and less costly. While iPS cell research provides hope for the development of effective stem cell based therapies in the treatment of diseases, research in this domain i
