Stem Cell Reprograming

In this article “Direct Reprograming 101” found in Japanese Society of Developmental Biologist, Kazuotshi Tahahashi writes about the research of direct reprograming of a stem cell the “Pluripotent stem cell” (iPS) How it was discovered and the incredible ability it has to transform into any other tissue in the human body. Along with the trials and tribulations scientists had to go through generating iPS cells like the protesting and strict laws against using ES Cells due to the fact that the ES Cells are derived from the inner cell masses (ICM) of blastocysts also known as Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells and the embryos possibility of one day being born. To help with this problem a unique experiment was conducted and the Embryonic Stem (ES) cells by introducing four genes (Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc) into mice dermal fibroblast cells. These cells are called embryonic germ (EG) Thus making the use of stem cell factors no longer needed. Direct reprogramming of a patient’s somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells can sweep away the dilemma of ES cells. To make things a bit more understandable, stem cells our bodies Master Cells, from these cells all of our other cells with specialized functions are generated. Our stem cells divide and form other cells and the new cells are called daughter cells. These Daughter Cells have the ability to become new cells (this is called self-renewal) or they will become specialized cells that will have a more specific function (known as differentiation) like brain cells, blood cells, or bone. Humans have two types of stem cells, one is Adult Stem Cells these make cells within their own tissues and are dedicated to repairing and maintaining particular tissue like the blood cells make blood and so on. The other is the Embryotic Stem Cell this is performed in the womb: (pluripotent) these cells don’t just make copies of themselves they also can become any of the different types of cells that