Induced pluripotent stem cell
Induced pluripotent stem cell
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells. The iPSC technology was pioneered by Shinya Yamanaka’s lab in Kyoto, Japan, who showed in 2006 that the introduction of four specific genes encoding transcription factors could convert adult cells into pluripotent stem cells. He was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize along with Sir John Gurdon "for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent."
Pronunciation
Induced pluripotent stem cell: /ɪnˈdjuːst plʊərɪˈpəʊtənt stɛm sɛl/
Etymology
The term "induced pluripotent stem cell" is derived from the process of inducing the adult cells to become pluripotent, or capable of developing into any type of cell or tissue (except those of the placenta). The term "stem cell" is derived from the fact that these cells serve as a sort of internal repair system in many tissues, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells.
Related Terms
- Pluripotent stem cell: A type of stem cell that can become any cell type in the body, excluding the placental cells.
- Adult stem cell: A type of stem cell that can only differentiate into a limited number of cell types.
- Embryonic stem cell: A type of pluripotent stem cell derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, an early-stage pre-implantation embryo.
- Transcription factor: A protein that controls the rate of transcription of genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA, by binding to a specific DNA sequence.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Induced pluripotent stem cell
- Wikipedia's article - Induced pluripotent stem cell
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