Who Will Win: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Versus Embryonic Stem Cells for β Cell Replacement and Diabetes Disease...

Ever since the reprogramming of human fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), scientists have been trying to determine if hiPSCs can give rise to progeny akin to native terminally differentiated cells as human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) do. Many different somatic cell types have been successfully reprogrammed via a variety of methods. In this review, we will discuss recent studies comparing hiPSCs and hESCs and their ability to differentiate to desired cell types as well as explore diabetes disease models.

Both somatic cell origin and the reprogramming method are important to the epigenetic state of the hiPSCs; however, genetic background contributes the most to differences seen between hiPSCs and hESCs. Based on our review of the relevant literature, hiPSCs display differences compared to hESCs, including a higher propensity for specification toward particular cell types based on memory retained from the somatic cell of origin. Moreover, hiPSCs provide a unique opportunity for creating diabetes disease models.