New Trends in Clinical Applications of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Abstract

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a novel source of stem cells with great potential for therapeutic applications. By transfection of pluripotent genes, iPSCs can be obtained from almost all adult somatic cells. This technique allows for easy production of large amounts of iPSCs for autografts or allografts. However, to use these cells in the clinic, iPSCs must be produced in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant manner that minimizes tumor risk at the lowest level. To satisfy clinical standards, iPSC production has been improved in three critical areas: (1) the development of virus-free gene delivery systems to reduce the tumorigenesis activation in iPSCs, (2) obtaining donor cells by less invasive methods, and (3) removing animal components in the culture system. With these improvements, iPSCs are suitable for clinical applications in disease treatment. In this review, we discuss the current technologies for methods of generation and clinical application of human iPSCs.