Current opinion in hematology
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Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, which uses defined transcription factors to reprogram somatic cells to become pluripotent cells, offers a significant technical simplicity and enables generation of patient-specific pluripotent stem cells with reduced ethical concerns. This review will focus on recent progresses in understanding of iPSCs and improved methods of generating iPSCs. ⋯ iPSC technology provides unprecedented opportunities in biomedical research and regenerative medicine. However, there remain a great deal to learn about iPSC safety, the reprogramming mechanisms, and better ways to direct a specific reprogramming process. The iPSC field will flourish on its mechanistic studies, iPSC-based disease modeling, and identification of new small molecules that modulate reprogramming.