Jsb Market Research: Complete 2015-16 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (Ipsc) Industry Report

Complete 2015-16 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) Industry Report

Released On 4th April 2015

Stem cell research and experimentation have been in process for well over five decades, as stem cells have the unique ability to divide and replicate repeatedly. In addition, their “unspecialized” nature allows them to differentiate into a wide variety of specialized cell types. The possibilities arising from these characteristics have resulted in great commercial interest, with potential applications ranging from the use of stem cells in reversal and treatment of disease, to targeted cell therapy, tissue regeneration, pharmacological testing on cell-specific tissues, and more. Conditions such as Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and spinal cord injuries are examples of clinical applications in which stem cells could offer benefits in halting or even reversing damage.

Traditionally, scientists have worked with both embryonic and adult stem cells for research tools, as well as for cellular therapy. While the appeal of embryonic cells has been their ability to differentiate into any type of cell, there has been significant ethical, moral, and spiritual controversy surrounding their use. Although some adult stem cells do have differentiation capacity, it is often limited in nature, which results in fewer options for use. Thus, induced pluripotent stem cells represent a promising combination of adult and embryonic stem cell characteristics.

Discovery of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Groundbreaking experimentation in 2006 led to the introduction of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These are adult cells which are isolated and then transformed into embryonic-like stem cells through the manipulation of gene expression, as well as other methods. Research and experimentation using mouse cells by Shinya Yamanaka’s lab at Kyoto University in Japan was the first instance in which there was successful generation of iPSCs.[1] In 2007, a series of...