Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different cell types. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are terminally differentiated; however, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they dedifferentiate and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Somatic cells are...

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different types of cells. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are post-mitotic—that is, they no longer divide. However, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they “de-differentiate” and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are also pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are therefore called induced pluripotent stem...

Zygotic Development And Stem Cell Formation

Zygotic Development And Stem Cell Formation

The development of all multicellular organisms starts with the fusion of haploid cells called sperm and egg to form a diploid zygote. A zygote is a totipotent cell that can develop into a complete organism. The zygote undergoes cell division or cleavage to form an 8-cell mass. Until this stage, the cells are spherical, loosely attached, and remain totipotent. Totipotent cells are capable of developing both the embryonic and the extraembryonic tissues. However, as they continue to divide, they...

Stem Cell Culture

Stem Cell Culture

Stem cell research aims to find ways to use stem cells to regenerate and repair cellular damage. Over time, most adult cells undergo the wear and tear of aging and lose their ability to divide and repair themselves. Stem cells do not display a particular morphology or function. Adult stem cells, which exist as a small subset of cells in most tissues, keep dividing and can differentiate into a number of specialized cells generally formed by that tissue. These cells enable the body to renew and...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Hematopoietic stem cell engraftment by early-stage in utero transplantation in a mouse model.

Experimental and molecular pathology·2009

Same author

Perioperative anticoagulation for patients with mechanic heart valve(s) undertaking pacemaker implantation.

Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology·2009

Same author

On the structure of water at the aqueous/air interface.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2009

Same author

Probiotic safety in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces spp.

Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstetrique et gynecologie du Canada : JOGC·2009

Same author

An approximation algorithm for the minimum breakpoint linearization problem.

IEEE/ACM transactions on computational biology and bioinformatics·2009

Same author

Evaluation of preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump in coronary patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction undergoing OPCAB surgery: early and mid-term outcomes.

Journal of cardiothoracic surgery·2009

Same journal

Insect-based models in pharmaceutical ecotoxicology: a bibliometric and narrative review.

Fly·2026

Same journal

<i>Drosophila</i> as a model in organophosphate toxicology.

Fly·2026

Same journal

New cell lines derived from larvae of the neotropical fruit fly <i>Drosophila willistoni</i> persistently infected with <i>Wolbachia</i>.

Fly·2026

Same journal

Beyond pesticides: next-generation genetic biocontrol technologies for sustainable population suppression of agricultural insect pests.

Fly·2026

Same journal

Application, ecotoxicology and regulation of insecticides with special reference to neonicotinoids.

Fly·2026

Same journal

Sulphur-containing amino acids promote the expression of <i>CG33474</i> and its neighbouring genes through the transsulphuration pathway.

Fly·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Dissection and Immunofluorescent Staining of Mushroom Body and Photoreceptor Neurons in Adult Drosophila melanogaster Brains

Dissection and Immunofluorescent Staining of Mushroom Body and Photoreceptor Neurons in Adult Drosophila melanogaster Brains

Published on: November 6, 2017

Stem cells: what can we learn from flies?

¹Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218-2685, USA. xchen32@jhu.edu

|September 30, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Reprogramming somatic cells to pluripotency offers therapeutic potential, but viral methods risk mutations. Germ cells offer a safer alternative for stem cell research and regenerative medicine.

More Related Videos

Isolating Intestinal Stem Cells from Adult Drosophila Midguts by FACS to Study Stem Cell Behavior During Aging

Isolating Intestinal Stem Cells from Adult Drosophila Midguts by FACS to Study Stem Cell Behavior During Aging

Published on: December 16, 2014

Neural Stem Cell Reactivation in Cultured Drosophila Brain Explants

Neural Stem Cell Reactivation in Cultured Drosophila Brain Explants

Published on: May 18, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Dissection and Immunofluorescent Staining of Mushroom Body and Photoreceptor Neurons in Adult Drosophila melanogaster Brains

Dissection and Immunofluorescent Staining of Mushroom Body and Photoreceptor Neurons in Adult Drosophila melanogaster Brains

Published on: November 6, 2017

Isolating Intestinal Stem Cells from Adult Drosophila Midguts by FACS to Study Stem Cell Behavior During Aging

Isolating Intestinal Stem Cells from Adult Drosophila Midguts by FACS to Study Stem Cell Behavior During Aging

Published on: December 16, 2014

Neural Stem Cell Reactivation in Cultured Drosophila Brain Explants

Neural Stem Cell Reactivation in Cultured Drosophila Brain Explants

Published on: May 18, 2022

Area of Science:

Stem cell biology
Developmental biology
Regenerative medicine

Background:

Recent advances enable reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotent states, bypassing ethical concerns of embryonic stem cells.
Current reprogramming strategies often use viral vectors for transcription factor expression, posing risks of mutations and tumorigenesis, limiting clinical applications.
Germ cells show potential for induced pluripotency without mutation risks, offering a promising avenue for therapeutic use.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the potential of germ cells in achieving pluripotency.
To highlight the implications of understanding germ cell differentiation for stem cell biology.
To emphasize the utility of Drosophila as a model system for stem cell research.

Main Methods:

Review of recent studies on somatic cell reprogramming.
Analysis of research on germ cell reprogramming using extrinsic growth factors.
Examination of Drosophila as a model organism for studying stem cell niches and differentiation.

Main Results:

Somatic cell reprogramming via viral integration carries risks of mutations and tumorigenesis.
Germ cells can be induced to pluripotency without associated mutation risks.
Drosophila germ cells and other adult fly stem cell lineages provide valuable models for studying stem cell self-renewal and differentiation.

Conclusions:

Germ cell reprogramming presents a safer alternative for regenerative medicine applications.
Understanding germ cell differentiation pathways is crucial for advancing stem cell biology.
Drosophila offers a powerful genetic system for future stem cell discoveries.