One Step Closer to Embryo-Free (and Controversy-Free) Stem Cells

The controversy surrounding stem cell research might soon be moot, with new research showing that ordinary skin cells can be transformed into an equivalent of embryonic stem cells, which have been the focus of research because of their ability to become any kind of cell in the human body. This is known as a pluripotent state, and the new research, published in twoarticles in Nature, marks the first time that scientists have turned skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells—which look and act like embryonic stem cells—without having to use viruses in the process[Reuters]. Scientists have been able to make stem cells from adult cells for more than a year, but relied on the injection of a virus to trigger the transformation of the cell into the embryonic state. These cells could not be used on patients, however, because of the risk they presented of developing cancer. ...