iPSCs

Human cloning has raised several ethic and legal issues. However, the ultimate intention of science is to benefit the entire human population. Konrad Hochedlinger's article on the new findings of iPSCs provides a new great leap in the stem cell research. From scientists' newest discoveries, mature body cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells to cure many diseases in the future. As we know, some cells in our bodies only divide once and always stuck at G1 phase of the cell cycle. If such cells are destroyed, we can no longer reproduce them. However, if iPSCs are proved to be function in human bodies well in the future, these cells can be reproduced.

As this picture below shows, the cells can be reprogrammed through reprogramming factor genes and become iPSCs.