Stem Cell Transplantation Program, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Children's Hospital Boston and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Nature. 2012 Jan 18;481(7381):295-305. doi: 10.1038/nature10761.
The field of stem-cell biology has been catapulted forward by the startling development of reprogramming technology. The ability to restore pluripotency to somatic cells through the ectopic co-expression of reprogramming factors has created powerful new opportunities for modelling human diseases and offers hope for personalized regenerative cell therapies. While the field is racing ahead, some researchers are pausing to evaluate whether induced pluripotent stem cells are indeed the true equivalents of embryonic stem cells and whether subtle differences between these types of cell might affect their research applications and therapeutic potential.
干细胞生物学领域因重编程技术的惊人发展而突飞猛进。通过异位共表达重编程因子使体细胞恢复多能性的能力为人类疾病建模创造了强大的新机会,并为个性化再生细胞疗法带来了希望。虽然该领域正在飞速发展,但一些研究人员正在停下来评估诱导多能干细胞是否确实与胚胎干细胞等同,以及这些类型的细胞之间的细微差异是否会影响它们的研究应用和治疗潜力。