Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Estonia.
Melbourne Integrative Genomics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
FEBS J. 2022 Jun;289(11):2992-3010. doi: 10.1111/febs.15885. Epub 2021 Apr 30.
The study of human evolution, long constrained by a lack of experimental model systems, has been transformed by the emergence of the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) field. iPSCs can be readily established from noninvasive tissue sources, from both humans and other primates; they can be maintained in the laboratory indefinitely, and they can be differentiated into other tissue types. These qualities mean that iPSCs are rapidly becoming established as viable and powerful model systems with which it is possible to address questions in human evolution that were until now logistically and ethically intractable, especially in the quest to understand humans' place among the great apes, and the genetic basis of human uniqueness. In this review, we discuss the key lessons and takeaways of this nascent field; from the types of research, iPSCs make possible to lingering challenges and likely future directions. We provide a comprehensive overview of how the seemingly unlikely combination of iPSCs and explicit evolutionary frameworks is transforming what is possible in our understanding of humanity's past and present.
长期以来，由于缺乏实验模型系统，人类进化的研究受到了限制，而诱导多能干细胞（iPSC）领域的出现改变了这一局面。iPSC 可以很容易地从非侵入性组织来源，包括人类和其他灵长类动物中建立；它们可以在实验室中无限期地维持，并且可以分化为其他组织类型。这些特性意味着 iPSC 正在迅速成为可行且强大的模型系统，可以解决以前在逻辑和伦理上难以解决的人类进化问题，尤其是在探索人类在类人猿中的地位以及人类独特性的遗传基础方面。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了这个新兴领域的关键经验和教训；从 iPSC 可能实现的研究类型，到悬而未决的挑战和可能的未来方向。我们全面概述了 iPSC 和明确的进化框架的看似不太可能的结合如何改变了我们对人类过去和现在的理解。
