7/02/2009 PERMALINK
Reprogrammed pluripotent stem cells differ from embryonic stem cells UCLA researchers have found that embryonic stem cells and skin cells reprogrammed into embryonic-like cells have inherent molecular differences. Embryonic stem cells and the reprogrammed cells, known as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, have overlapping but still distinct gene expression signatures. The differing signatures were evident regardless of where the cell lines were generated, the methods by which they were derived or the species from which they were isolated. "We need to keep in mind that iPS cells are not perfectly similar to embryonic stem cells," said William Lowry, an assistant professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology. "It could be biologically irrelevant, or it could be manifested as an advantage or a disadvantage."