NESCI STATEMENT ON INDUCED PLURIPOTENCY STEM CELLS
Scientists at the North-East England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI) have been asked to comment on the impact of the recent advances in induced pluripotent stem cell (IPSCs) lines derived from human somatic cells. Here we set out NESCI’s view of the likely impact of these exciting discoveries. These pluripotent stem cell lines derived from human somatic cells offer a new stem cell type to consider alongside other pluripotent stem cells when exploring potential stem cell therapies. Stem cell types currently being evaluated include human somatic (‘adult’) cells, cord blood derived stem cells, germ line stem cells, embryonic stem (ES) cells and embryonic stem cells that may in the future be derived by somatic cell nuclear transfer (‘therapeutic cloning’). NESCI scientists see IPSCs as an important addition to the range of stem cell lines that we study. Comparisons between IPSCs, human ES cells and human ES cells derived by somatic cell nuclear transfer are essential if we are properly to understand the process of nuclear re-programming. This understanding will eventually allow safe stem cell treatments that are genetically identical to their patient recipient, For these reasons, NESCI will continue to work on a variety of stem cell types with the aim of taking the most promising and safest cell types into clinical trials in to the clinic. NESCI will continue its work on ES cells and somatic cell nuclear transfer, as well as work on induced pluripotency
