«Our study also indicates that the path towards
iPS cells involves the use of specific control switches on DNA called enhancers,» adds Dr Constantinos Chronis from UCLA.
Not exact matches
«What our findings show is that the problems with
iPS cells don't just
involve one or two or a few abnormal
iPS cells escaping into the body and forming tumors, but that the whole population of
cells is screwed up,» Lanza says.
Although no clinical trials
involving therapies derived from
iPS cells are on the books, researchers are currently testing drugs on them.
«The
iPS cells may also help us identify treatments for more common diseases, such as atherosclerosis and vascular calcification, because the same bone morphogenetic protein pathways are
involved in these medical conditions.»
Lymphocytes in the grafts of undifferentiated
iPS cells were also expressing relatively high levels of genes known to be
involved in hostile immune responses.
A Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare panel has accepted a plan to carry out what would be the world's first clinical trials
involving induced pluripotent stem (
iPS)
cells.
The team's current research project also
involved directly converting skin
cells into OPCs without having to create
iPS cells.
And indeed all the research
involving iPS cells is still at an early stage.
When you use one of those drugs you won't know that human embryonic stem
cells or
iPS cells were
involved.