Why use embryonic stem cells if induced pluripotent cells are the same and do not require the destruction of an embryo?
Embryonic stem cells are the gold standard for stem cell research. While induced pluripotent cells have great potential, that potential can only be analyzed when compared to embryonic stem cells to determine if the cells are functioning correctly. In addition, induced pluripotent cells have been artificially manipulated, and it is uncertain how useful they are in illuminating basic scientific questions of early development and cell specialization.
Related Questions
- Why do researchers need embryonic stem cells now that they can reprogram adult skin cells to create induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, which mimic embryonic stem cells?
- Why use embryonic stem cells if induced pluripotent cells are the same and do not require the destruction of an embryo?
- Can induced pluripotent cells replace research on embryonic stem cells or somatic cell nuclear transfer?
