Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are stem cells that can turn into nearly any cell type.
The technology is exciting researchers all around the world.
In this article, we explain:
- What iPSCs are, how they compare to other stem cells
- The challenges and risks of using them
- Where they’re being studied in clinical trials
- How effective they’ve been so far
- What they could mean for the future of treatment.
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What Are iPSC or Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells?
Induced pluripotent stem cells are stem cells that scientists create by taking ordinary adult cells, usually skin or blood cells and “reprogramming” them back into a stem cell–like state.
How They’re Made
How They Work
Once reprogrammed, iPSCs can be turned into many different types of cells in the lab:
The idea is that iPSCs could one day be used to replace damaged or lost cells in the body. A couple of researchers from Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope in Duarte, California did a full review on how iPSC Cells work in 2024 & you can read about it on their Nature Page.
What is the difference between pluripotent and induced pluripotent stem cells?
Pluripotent stem cells occur naturally in early embryos, while induced pluripotent stem cells are made by reprogramming adult cells. Although both can become many cell types, iPSCs may behave slightly differently in practice.
Pluripotent Stem Cells
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)
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How Are iPSCs Different From Mesenchymal Stem Cells?
Induced pluripotent stem cells can turn into almost any cell type, while mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) mainly work by calming inflammation and releasing healing signals. Theoretically, MSC cells can turn into Bone, Marrow or Cartilage but researchers are still trying to figure out this process.
iPSCs
Pluripotent: Can become many different tissues, such as neurons, insulin-producing cells, or retinal cells.
Mostly used in research trials for conditions like diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, macular degeneration and spinal cord injury.
Goal is cell replacement, directly rebuilding lost or damaged cells.
MSCs
Found in bone marrow, fat, and umbilical cord tissue.
Most of their benefits come from reducing inflammation, regulating the immune system & stimulating the body’s own repair processes.
Currently the most common cells used in clinic-based therapies worldwide. Especially for arthritis, autoimmune diseases and degenerative conditions.
To learn more about how MSCs are actually used in treatment, see our guide on How Stem Cell Treatments Work.
How Are IPSC Stem Cells different From Embryonic Stem Cells?
The main difference is where they come from: embryonic stem cells are taken from early-stage embryos, while induced pluripotent stem cells are made by reprogramming adult cells in the lab. Both can turn into almost any cell type, but they are not identical.
Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs)
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)
What the Research Shows
Scientists at the University of Dundee compared iPSCs and ESCs in a review published in 2024 on ElifeSciences by looking at all the proteins (the “proteome”) inside the cells. Here’s what they found:
What This Means for Patients: For practical purposes, iPSCs and ESCs behave almost the same in the lab and in early trials. But iPSCs are easier to source, avoid embryo use, and may even have some biological advantages, like stronger metabolism and natural immune-protective signals.
What is the problem with using induced pluripotent stem cells?
The main problems with iPSCs are safety risks (mutations and tumors), immune system challenges, and high cost.
Reviews in Nature found when scientists “reprogram” adult cells into iPSCs, the process can sometimes create DNA changes, called mutations. For example, iPSCs made from skin cells may carry damage from sun exposure (UV), while those made from blood cells may have different types of DNA changes. A University of Dundee study confirmed that iPSCs show more of these changes compared to embryonic stem cells.
Cells made from iPSCs don’t always grow into fully developed, “adult” cells. Instead, they often behave more like very young cells. This means they may not work as well as the mature cells found in your body. For example, dopamine-producing brain cells for Parkinson’s or heart muscle cells for heart disease.
iPSCs sometimes “remember” what type of cell they used to be — for example, a skin cell or a blood cell. This leftover memory can make it harder for scientists to turn them into completely different types of cells, which affects their quality and usefulness.
When adult cells are reprogrammed into iPSCs, the “power plants” inside the cells (mitochondria) can sometimes pick up DNA damage. This may make the new cells work less effectively or even trigger the immune system to reject them.
If iPSCs are not fully turned into the right type of cell before transplant, leftover “raw” stem cells can sometimes grow into unwanted lumps of tissue, known as teratomas (tumor like growth). Researchers from the University of Dundee study also found that iPSCs release higher levels of certain proteins linked to cancer growth, which means this risk needs to be studied carefully.
iPSCs made from a donor (sometimes called “off-the-shelf” cells) can be attacked by the patient’s immune system. But research from the University of Dundee study found something more complex: iPSCs release proteins that help them hide from the immune system. This could make them less likely to be rejected, but it also raises a concern. If harmful cells slipped through, the body might not spot and remove them quickly.
Even when transplanted, iPSCs may not survive long-term or integrate properly into the target tissue. This remains one of the biggest technical hurdles in making them effective therapies.
Making iPSCs is slow and expensive, especially for patient-specific therapies. Unlike a pill, every iPSC treatment requires a custom manufacturing process in a specialized lab.
What are iPSC cells used for?
IPSC stem cells are being studied in research trials for conditions like Diabetes, Parkinson's, AMD etc, but they are not yet widely available as treatments.
Type 1 Diabetes
Trials are testing iPSC-derived insulin-producing cells that may reduce or replace daily injections. Read more in our Diabetes research article.
Parkinson’s Disease
iPSCs are turned into dopamine-producing neurons to restore lost brain function. See our Parkinson’s research article.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Japanese studies have implanted iPSC-derived retinal cells under the eye to slow or improve vision loss. Read our AMD research article.
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Early trials transplant iPSC-derived neural cells to support repair and recovery. See our Spinal Cord Injury article.
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Browse Verified Stem Cell ClinicsHow Effective Are Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Treatments So Far?
So far, iPSC therapies have shown promise in small, early-stage trials but they are not yet proven treatments.
Type 1 Diabetes
A few patients have been able to produce insulin again after receiving iPSC-derived islet cells, but most still need insulin and take immune-suppressing drugs.
Parkinson’s Disease
Japanese studies using iPSC-derived dopamine neurons reported some improvements in movement, but results vary and trials are still very small.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
First-in-human iPSC retinal implants have shown safety and hints of vision improvement, but long-term benefits remain uncertain.
Spinal Cord Injury
Early studies with iPSC-derived neural cells suggest the approach is safe, with possible gains in sensation or movement, but evidence is still preliminary.
iPSC research is moving quickly, but these therapies are still experimental.
At this stage, effectiveness is measured in safety, small functional improvements and proof that the cells can survive in the body, not in long-term cures.
Larger, more rigorous trials are needed before iPSCs become routine treatments.
What Could iPSC Stem Cells Mean for the Future?
Induced pluripotent stem cells could change the future of medicine by making it possible to replace lost or damaged cells with new, lab-grown ones. Because iPSCs can be created from a patient’s own skin or blood, they may one day allow for personalized treatments with a lower risk of rejection.
Scientists are especially hopeful about iPSCs for:
- Neurological diseases: replacing brain cells lost in Parkinson’s or after spinal cord injury.
- Diabetes: building new insulin-producing cells to restore natural blood sugar control.
- Eye diseases: repairing retinal cells to slow or reverse vision loss.
In the longer term, iPSCs might also provide “off-the-shelf” donor cells that are genetically edited to be accepted by anyone’s immune system.
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Induced pluripotent stem cells have the potential to transform treatments for diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s, vision loss, and spinal cord injury in the future.
No, stem cell clinics do not currently offer iPSC treatments. iPSCs are still experimental and only available in controlled research trials.
You cannot get iPSC treatments at clinics. They’re only available through approved clinical trials at research hospitals and universities.
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