Pluripotent Stem Cells: Current Understanding and Future Directions.

Antonio Romito,Gilda Cobellis

doi:10.1155/2016/9451492

Antonio Romito, Gilda Cobellis

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9451492

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Abstract

Pluripotent stem cells have the ability to undergo self-renewal and to give rise to all cells of the tissues of the body. However, this definition has been recently complicated by the existence of distinct cellular states that display these features. Here, we provide a detailed overview of the family of pluripotent cell lines derived from early mouse and human embryos and compare them with induced pluripotent stem cells. Shared and distinct features of these cells are reported as additional hallmark of pluripotency, offering a comprehensive scenario of pluripotent stem cells.

Highlights

The first evidence suggesting the existence of “special cells,” today known as stem cells, able to self-renew and to differentiate into specialized cell types, dates back in 1961 when two scientists, Drs James A
The aim of this review is to provide a detailed overview of the recent discoveries in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) research
Recent data demonstrated that Murine ESCs (mESCs) do not faithfully mimic inner cell mass (ICM) cells. It seems that mESCs emerge from a subpopulation of ICM cells that become positive to Blimp1, a germ cell-specific factor, suggesting that mESCs have a germ cell origin and that their derivation is triggered by activation of a transcriptional programme specific to primordial germ cells (PGCs) [20]. These findings demonstrate that mESCs grown in serum are in a metastable condition between ICM cells and epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs), whereas mESCs grown in 2i are in a uniform “ground state” condition, in other words, a condition, which more closely resembles the pluripotent cells of ICM before embryo formation

Summary

Introduction

The first evidence suggesting the existence of “special cells,” today known as stem cells, able to self-renew and to differentiate into specialized cell types, dates back in 1961 when two scientists, Drs James A. The importance of studying the biology of stem cells relies in their wide range of applications. Stem cells are used to study the pathogenesis of human genetic disease, to identify new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and to test improved drugs. What renders stem cell research extremely important is the vast potential of clinical applications of these cells. Their capacity to differentiate into specific cell types could be used in regenerative medicine to treat damaged or diseased tissues through cell-replacement therapies. Some stem cell therapies are in clinical trials, a lot more basic research is needed before therapies using differentiated stem cell-derivatives can be applied in humans

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