Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Take a Big Step Towards Clinical Applications
March 04 2009 / by Bora
Category: Biotechnology Year: 2009 Rating: 9 Hot
This week, researchers from Canada and Scotland made a major advancement in the field of stem cell biology. They discovered a method to successfully reprogram somatic cells into stem cells without the use of viruses.
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a type of stem cells derived from adult somatic cells by forcing expression of genes shown to sufficiently reprogram somatic cells into stem cells. iPSCs have been shown to possess key characteristics of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), the most important of which is the ability to give rise to cells of all three germ layers. iPSCs are an ideal source of stem cells because they circumvent the need for human embryos to generate stem cells. Additionally, because they can be generated from one’s own somatic cells which are readily available, iPSCs can be used for patient-specific therapies, thereby reducing the risk of immune rejection.
This past Mother’s Day, it occurred to me that the meaning
of parenthood is constantly evolving. While social trends, such as
increasing divorce rates and rising numbers of same-sex marriages
are major contributing factors, science is adding another layer to
the evermore complex meaning of the modern family. A good example
of this stems from the latest developments in genetic manipulation
and assisted reproductive technology.
