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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...

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...

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

The cells of the blastocyst inner cell mass only remain pluripotent for a short time. This state of pluripotency and self-renewal can be maintained in embryonic stem (ES) cell culture by adding specific chemicals or growth factors to ensure the cells can continue dividing and later differentiate into different cell types. In some cases, the cells are grown on a feeder layer of differentiated cells, which provides the growth factors and extracellular matrix components necessary for stem cell...

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...

Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells

Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells

Chromatin modification alters gene expression; therefore, scientists can add histone-modifying enzymes, histone variants, and chromatin remodeling complexes to somatic cells to aid reprogramming into pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
Compact chromatin makes reprogramming difficult. Enzymes, such as histone demethylases and acetyltransferases, are often added during reprogramming to loosen the chromatin, making the DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Molecules that inhibit histone...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Chemical Reversion of Conventional Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to a Naïve-like State with Improved Multilineage Differentiation Potency

Chemical Reversion of Conventional Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to a Naïve-like State with Improved Multilineage Differentiation Potency

Published on: June 10, 2018

Characterization of human pluripotent stem cells.

Paul J Gokhale¹, Peter W Andrews

¹Department of Biomedical Science, Centre for Stem Cell Biology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.

|October 4, 2013

Summary

Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) hold promise for regenerative medicine. Accurately identifying and characterizing PSCs is crucial but challenging due to definitional issues and knowledge gaps.

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Published on: November 26, 2014

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Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Chemical Reversion of Conventional Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to a Naïve-like State with Improved Multilineage Differentiation Potency

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Published on: June 10, 2018

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Derivation and Characterization of a Transgene-free Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Line and Conversion into Defined Clinical-grade Conditions

Derivation and Characterization of a Transgene-free Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Line and Conversion into Defined Clinical-grade Conditions

Published on: November 26, 2014

Area of Science:

Stem cell biology
Regenerative medicine
Developmental biology

Background:

Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced PSCs (iPSCs), are key to advancing regenerative medicine.
Harnessing PSCs requires understanding their extensive differentiation capacity.
Current challenges in PSC identification and characterization hinder progress.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the difficulties in identifying and characterizing human pluripotent stem cells.
To address the tension between functional pluripotency definitions and marker-based approaches.
To highlight factors complicating PSC research, such as ethical considerations and interspecies differences.

Main Methods:

Review of current literature on PSC identification and characterization.
Analysis of the challenges posed by functional versus marker-based definitions of pluripotency.
Examination of ethical considerations and knowledge gaps in early human embryonic development.

Main Results:

A significant tension exists between functional definitions of pluripotency and the practical use of markers.
Ethical issues and limited knowledge of early human development complicate PSC characterization.
Differences between human and mouse stem cell paradigms present additional challenges.

Conclusions:

Accurate identification and characterization of human PSCs remain significant hurdles.
Overcoming these challenges is essential for realizing the full potential of PSCs in regenerative medicine.
Further research into PSC biology and development is critically needed.