Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: The Most Versatile Source for Stem Cell Therapy

Cell therapy has existed since the first bone marrow transplant in the 1950s involving identical twins. The blood-forming stem cells were used to restore healthy blood cells for the twin with leukemia. It was not until 1968 that genetic matching (known as human leukocyte antigen matching) was known to be important, and not until 1973 that bone marrow transplants were performed from non-twin-related and nonrelated donors. The most important application of human stem cells is for the generation of cells and tissues for cell-based therapies. Currently, donated organs and tissues are often the only option to replace diseased, injured, or destroyed tissue. The availability for these transplantable tissues and organs is very limited, however. To satisfy the demand for a source for these cells and tissues, induced pluripotent stem cells that have been differentiated into specific cell types can serve as a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues. A bank of suitable human leukocyte antigen-matched cells will be an important source providing immediate availability of cells that are readily scalable, economical, and well characterized. Areas of active pursuit with stem cell therapy is being investigated for treating diseases such as macular degeneration, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and neurodegenerative diseases. This article describes the advantages and hurdles for the use of induced pluripotent cells as the starting material for a source of replacement cells for regenerative medicine.