[Why do we need induced pluripotent stem cells in neurobiology?]

Reprogramming of somatic cells made possible to study in vitro inaccessible human cells, such as different types of neurons. Almost immediate consequence of the emergence of this technology was the development of a number of cellular models of the nervous system diseases. They are used both to explore the cellular mechanisms of these diseases and for the development of new pharmacological strategies. Reprogrammed cells are also a potential alternative to embryonic stem cells for transplantation. This article presents the most important achievements in the use of cell reprogramming technology in neurobiology and at the same time points out the limitations of the methodology and the expected directions of its development.