Journal of Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Abstract

Will Undifferentiated Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Ever have Clinical Utility?

Julien Rossignol, Andrew T Crane, Kyle D Fink and Gary L Dunbar

The emergence of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, with the capability of iPSCs to differentiate into any type of cell, has advanced the field of stem cell therapies. As the field has progressed towards pre-clinical transplantation of iPSCs, polarizing views of the tumorigenic potential of undifferentiated iPSCs has left many researchers believing that there is no future in the clinical utility of transplanting undifferentiated iPSCs. The potential for insertional mutagenesis and the integration of oncogenes in iPSCs, as well as the teratoma assay in nude mice, has fueled the rationale for one side of the argument, while some iPSC transplantation studies into healthy, immunocompetent, animals have provided evidence that clinical utility is possible. This brief review highlights the perspectives of both sides of the debate while providing representative examples of iPSCs studies, as well as possible safeguards against iPSC-induced tumor formation.