Pluripotent stem cells aid partial motor recovery in spinal …

The big picture: Nearly two decades ago, Shinya Yamanaka and Kazutoshi Takahashi discovered they could turn mature somatic cells back into stem cells. The scientists predicted these new cells could be the key to regenerative treatments for serious injuries and conditions. Today, another Japanese team has achieved the first promising results of this breakthrough. Researchers at Keio University have begun using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) to treat and maybe even cure severe spinal cord injuries. The iPS technology was first conceived by Shinya Yamanaka in 2006, who later received the Nobel Prize with John Gurdon for discovering that they could reprogram adult cells to return to their pluripotent, stem cell-like state.

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Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Their Potential for Basic and …

Abstract Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, are a type of pluripotent stem cell derived from adult somatic cells. They have been reprogrammed through inducing genes and factors to be pluripotent. iPS cells are similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells in many aspects. This review summarizes the recent progresses in iPS cell reprogramming and iPS cell based therapy, and describe patient specific iPS cells as a disease model at length in the light of the literature. This review also analyzes and discusses the problems and considerations of iPS cell therapy in the clinical perspective for the treatment of disease

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What are iPS cells? | For the Public | CiRA | Center for iPS Cell …

Research is ongoing in Japan and overseas with the aim of realizing cell transplantation therapy using iPS cells. One safety issue of concern is the risk of tumor formation. CiRA in particular has focused its resources on this issue. Broadly speaking, there are two main theories as to the mechanism whereby iPS cells may form tumors.

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