Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are mature somatic cells that have been reprogrammed to a pluripotent, embryonic-stem-cell-like state through the forced expression of defined transcription factors, restoring the capacity for indefinite self-renewal and differentiation into cell types of all three germ layers.…
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are mature somatic cells that have been reprogrammed to a pluripotent, embryonic-stem-cell-like state through the forced expression of defined transcription factors, restoring the capacity for indefinite self-renewal and differentiation into cell types of all three germ layers. By generating patient-derived pluripotent cells without the use of embryos, iPSC technology circumvents many of the ethical concerns associated with embryonic stem cells while enabling disease modeling, drug discovery, and the development of cell-based therapies. Their reprogramming depends on the regulation of pluripotency genes, including factors such as OCT4 whose expression can be modulated, for example by microRNAs targeting its promoter. In regenerative medicine, iPSCs and their derivatives are being explored for tissue repair, illustrated by their use with biocompatible scaffolds to model and support recovery after stroke in three-dimensional neural cultures, and within the broader landscape of stem cell therapies. They also provide powerful in vitro systems for preclinical research, including iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes used in calcium-transient assays for compound screening and in cardiotoxicity and safety testing. The field engages with questions of differentiation control, including the balance of neuroprotection and neurotoxicity in neural stem cells, and with the ethical dimensions of stem cell research. Understanding iPSC reprogramming, differentiation, and application is therefore central to regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug development.
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The 8 articles above have been cited 35 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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