Diseases in a Dish: Additional Resources

A new use for stem cells: Drug screening

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

In 2006, Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University figured out how to reprogram fibroblast cells taken from connective tissue in mice into something that looked a lot more like an embryonic stem cell. These so-called induced pluripotent stem cells(iPS cells) have the capacity—with a lot of biochemical coaxing from scientists—to develop into other tissues, such as nerve or muscle cells. Researchers derived the first iPSCs from humans in 2007. Since then, investigators have attempted to use iPS cells in a variety of ways.

While most stem cell researchers have focused on trying to turn iPS cells

directly into treatments, a few investigators have taken a different tack. As chronicled in this March 2011 feature article by Stephen S. Hall, some scientists are using iPS cells to develop tissue cultures that have the molecular characteristics of certain ailments such as Lou Gehrig's disease. It is still unclear just how closely these "diseases in a Petri dish" resemble the diseases in actual human beings.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

Scientific American also reported at length about iPS stem cells in the May 2010 issue. (Read the full article here, free of charge, for the next month.) Below is a list of Web sites and key research articles that provide further information—both about iPSCs and stem cells in general.

Stem Cell Basics
A primer from the National Institutes of Health on stem cells

Diseases in a Dish Take Off
A 2010 report by Gretchen Vogel on using iPSCs to screen for potential drug treatments

Embryonic Stem Cells 2.0
A 2008 report by Bruce Goldman that provides a good history of the iPS field and the cells' potential uses

The iPSC-EPS gap
A news report about the research that suggests induced pluripotent stem cells retain their genetic memory

Hotspots of aberrant epigenomic reprogramming in human induced pluripotent stem cells
A Salk Institute research study on the epigenetics of induced stem cells

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American