December 17, 2015

expert reaction to study investigating human stem cell pluripotency using human-mouse chimerism

A study published in Cell Stem Cell reported that it had demonstrated evidence that human pluripotent stem cells can develop normally once transplanted into a mouse embryo, which has important implications for regenerative medicine.

Dr Dusko Ilic, Reader in Stem Cell Science, King’s College London, said:

“In this very elegant study, the scientists demonstrated in vivo the developmental competency of human pluripotent stem cells in a unique human-mouse chimera assay. Both human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can colonize the mouse embryo in a manner predicted from classical developmental fate mapping and faithfully recapitulate tissue-specific fate post-transplantation.

“All of us working in the field of pluripotent stem cells can now breathe a sigh of relief – what we were assuming was the case is indeed happening. In spite of all doubts, we were doing the right thing by bringing the human pluripotent stem cells towards clinical use.

“In addition, the data presented are also endorsing iPSC as being equally powerful tools for cellular therapies and regenerative medicine as hESC, providing a final proof for which the field was looking for years.”

‘Human-mouse chimerism validates human stem cell pluripotency’ by Victoria L. Mascetti and Roger A. Pedersen published in Cell Stem Cell on Thursday 17 December 2015.

Declared interests

Dr Dusko Ilic declares that he has no relevant interests.