Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) can be derived from fertilized blastocysts (embryonic stem cells, ESCs), be reprogrammed from somatic cells by enucleated oocytes (nuclear transferred ESCs, ntESCs) or by defined transcription factors (induced pluripotent stem cells, iPSCs). They are extremely important as the mechanisms underlying cellular differentiation and self-renewal can be studied. Also, patient-specific iPSCs and ntESCs are ideal for cell-based disease modeling and drug testing. Importantly, the person-specific pluripotent stem cells can be used as an isogenic cell resources for autologous cell transplantation. Thus, provide an excellent opportunity for treating many human diseases, which has no cure so far. In this lecture, I will briefly review the development of stem cell technologies and discuss their potential for various application, including iPSC-based cellular therapy. |