Induced pluripotent stem cells

• Induced pluripotent stem cells are a type of pluripotent cell that is produced from unipotent stem cells. Unipotent stem cells can become almost any body cell, and then these body cells are then genetically altered in a lab to make them acquire the characteristics of embryonic stem cells (a type of pluripotent stem cell).
• In order to make a unipotent cell into a pluripotent cell, you need to induce genes and transcriptional factors. This allows previously inactive genes to be turned on, and also proves that adult cells retain the same genetic information that was present in the embryo.
• Although induced pluripotent stem cells are very similar to embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells are also capable of self-renewal. This means that they can divide limitlessly to supply stem cells.
• Induced pluripotent stem cells have the potential to replace the use of embryonic stem cells in medical research and treatment, since they overcome many of the ethical issues faced when using embryonic stem cells.
• Pluripotent stem cells can be used to treat a variety of human disorders. For example, the cells can be used to regrow damaged tissue due to accidents (e.g. using skin grafts for severe burns), or as a result of disease (e.g. neuro-degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's).