Reprogramming somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells mature is one of the top scientific advances of recent years. The generation of iPS cells specific to a patient may have applications in cellular therapy. Three years ago, researchers at the University of Tokyo (Japan) first introduced the technique of transformation of adult cells in other mouse that had the potential of embryonic, 1 thus opening a new alternative to obtaining pluripotent cells without being embryonic stem cells. Later, U.S. researchers obtained human iPS cells for the first time.

Recently, a group of laboratories, among which is the Izpisúa teacher, has found a relationship between the rescheduling and the p53 pathway, which establishes a connection between rescheduling and tumorigenesis. 2 Another of the great potential of the technique is obtain human disease models to identify phenotypes that can be used in drug screening or toxicity tests. One of the big challenges is the discovery of new therapies that are effective in vivo.

It should be emphasized that iPS cells can be derived from skin cells of patients. In sum, the main applications of iPS cells will not only be in vitro (and disease models, drug screening and toxicology), it will affect regenerative medicine. 3 To do this, and foremost, you must resolve issues relating to the safety of its use and ensure that once patients transplanted cells to tumor formation has not, whether caused by transgene integration or teratomas.