Induced pluripotent stem cells are adult cells that have ben genetically changed to an embryonic stem cell by forcing those cells to express certain genes. It isn’t sure if they behave exactly like naturally made Pluripotent cells, but for sure we know that the induced pluripotent stem cells tested out on mice demonstrated similar characteristics. They expressed the stem cell markers; they also are able to form tumors and can develop into different tissues. Human induced pluripotent stem cells also show similar characteristics.
In January 2014, scientists appeared to have found out that with simply dipping human adult cells in acid they could turn them into cells with the potential to turn into any cell in the body. This was tried with mouse cells before hands and now also seems to be working with the human cells. These new totipotent cells are stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency. This new research is going to make many things easier and cheaper, from cancer therapy, regenerative medicine or even cloning. The researchers still say that this isn’t a reliable result at the moment and that way more research has to be done before any more conclusions can be made.
However a few weeks later a paper was published that stated that the results of these experiments with mice and human cells were wrong as some of the images published with the paper showed that genomes were merged into it. A co-author of the paper the said that it was an honest mistake and the images must have been mixed up but that this doesn’t change the results. Also were other scientists not able to repeat the experiment and they also said that the paper provided too little information on the process and that they could therefore not repeat the experiment.
6 months after the paper was published it was retracted as too many flaws were found and because the experiment couldn’t be repeated. The authors apologized and admitted that there were flaws and that they therefore can’t be sure if these stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency can be made.
One of the co-authors of the paper committed suicide in April because he was “worn out by the unjust bashing in the mass media and the responsibility he felt towards RIKEN and his laboratory”. Media criticized him a lot during the time that the papers were retracted and this shows what an impact media has nowadays on research and scientists, also because papers are normally published in scientific journals.
In January 2014, scientists appeared to have found out that with simply dipping human adult cells in acid they could turn them into cells with the potential to turn into any cell in the body. This was tried with mouse cells before hands and now also seems to be working with the human cells. These new totipotent cells are stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency. This new research is going to make many things easier and cheaper, from cancer therapy, regenerative medicine or even cloning. The researchers still say that this isn’t a reliable result at the moment and that way more research has to be done before any more conclusions can be made.
However a few weeks later a paper was published that stated that the results of these experiments with mice and human cells were wrong as some of the images published with the paper showed that genomes were merged into it. A co-author of the paper the said that it was an honest mistake and the images must have been mixed up but that this doesn’t change the results. Also were other scientists not able to repeat the experiment and they also said that the paper provided too little information on the process and that they could therefore not repeat the experiment.
6 months after the paper was published it was retracted as too many flaws were found and because the experiment couldn’t be repeated. The authors apologized and admitted that there were flaws and that they therefore can’t be sure if these stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency can be made.
One of the co-authors of the paper committed suicide in April because he was “worn out by the unjust bashing in the mass media and the responsibility he felt towards RIKEN and his laboratory”. Media criticized him a lot during the time that the papers were retracted and this shows what an impact media has nowadays on research and scientists, also because papers are normally published in scientific journals.