Stem Cells: The Building Blocks of Life

What are they?

 

     Induced pluripotent stem cells are non-embryonic stem cells that have been genetically modified to assume an embryonic stem cell state. Therefore, these cells are pluripotent, serving as a bridge between multipotent non-embryonic cells and pluripotent embryonic cells. Since iPSCs can be taken from patients, they can potentially alleviate the controversy that arises from taking embryonic stem cells from embryos.

 

How are they created?

     To reprogram non-embryonic cells, scientists use viruses to introduce factors into the cells, forcing them to express certain genes characteristic of embryonic stem cells. In 2006, Dr. Shinya Yamanaka successfully induced skin cells from mice into pluripotent stem cells by introducing four pieces of DNA into the skin cells. (See Image)

 

How can they be used?

     iPSCs can be induced into taking on the forms of specialized cells such as beta islet cells to treat diabetes, new blood cells for leukemia patients, and neurons for neurological disorders.  Since iPSCs can be custom developed from individual patients, the likelihood that the patient's immune system will reject the cells decreases. Also, iPSCs can be used for drug development and precise disease modeling. Researchers can study genetic disorders in laboratory settings once they cultivate iPSCs from patients.

 

 

What are the challenges or risks?

     Viruses used to introduce genes into the non-embryonic stem cells can alter the rest of the cell's genes so that once the iPSC assumes the form of a new cell type, it does not function properly. Using this technique can also cause tumor growth.