Reprogrammed Cells Come Up Short, for Now

摘要

Stem cell research offers an ever-shifting battlefield, with vested interests and biologists squabbling over the political, ethical, and scientific merits of different types of cells. Some of the fiercest skirmishes once took place between advocates and opponents of fetal cells. Then along came human embryonic stem cells, opening several fronts, including not-so-civil wars among hES researchers and fans of various adult stem cells. Now two recent papers have dragged the new kid on the block, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, into the fray.