One of the most significant developments in cell and developmental biology in recent years has been the incredible interest in the potential of stem cells in regenerative medicine. ln spite of the ongoing political, ethical and scientific challenges interest in the potential clinical utility of stem continues to increase. Extraordinary developments in the field of stem cell research continued in developing disease-specific stem cell lines; advances were made in creating induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines using technologies compatible with clinical use; and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave approval for the first clinical trial using cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) for the treatment of spinal cord injury. Both regenerative medicine and tissue engineering rely on the success of stem cell technology. Advances in the embryonic and adult stem cell research, particularly over the past two decades, have enabled cell-based therapies. Now it is also possible to genetically reprogram the somatic cells and induce pluripotency in them to function in a manner similar to embryonic stem cells. However, further studies on teratogenic or tumorigenic properties, cellular dose, cell proliferation, senescence, karyotyping, and immunosuppressive activity are essential to translate the technology into clinical application.
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