Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are expected to be a novel cell source for regenerative medicine. Although iPSCs represented a significant breakthrough, there were many initial obstacles for their clinical use such as exogenous sequence insertions, inefficient cell reprogramming, tumorigenic properties, and animal-derived culture components. However, much progress has been made in iPSC generation since their development. The first human trial of iPSC-derived cell transplantation was conducted in September 2014, in which iPSC-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells were transplanted to a patient with macular degeneration. Because multiple clinical trials using iPSCs are expected in the near future, preparation of guidelines for generating and selecting iPSC lines suitable for clinical application is a pressing issue.
Part of the book: Pluripotent Stem Cells