Consumables

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology was pioneered in 2006, when it was shown that cellular reprogramming from somatic cells could be achieved through forced expression of the transcription factors Oct-3/4, Klf4, Sox2, and c-Myc (OKSM). Based on morphology, capacity to self-renew, and developmental potential, iPS cells are nearly indistinguishable from their embryonic stem cell counterparts. iPS cells hold great promise in the field of regenerative medicine because they propagate indefinitely and give rise to every other cell type in the body. Since iPS cells can theoretically be derived from any adult tissue, they not only bypass the need for embryos but can be made in a patient-matched manner. Recently, mass cytometry was used to map the progression of mouse somatic cells undergoing reprogramming to iPS cells.