Stem Cell Characterization

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, generally abbreviated as iPS cells or iPSCs, are a type of pluripotent stem cell commonly derived from human somatic cells through genetic modification and integration of specific DNA-transcription factors to reprogram adult human cells to a pluripotent state. Literature suggests that Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and natural pluripotent stem cells, like embryonic stems cells, share identical qualities such as the expression of certain stem cell genes and proteins, chromatin methylation patterns, doubling time, embryoid body formation, teratoma formation, viable chimera formation, and potency and differentiability. However, the full extent of their relation to natural pluripotent stem cells is still being assessed. Independent laboratories have established the fact that Sox2, c-myc, Lin28, KLF4, and especially Oct4 and Nanog play essential roles in the induction of pluripotent stem cells.