iPS cell research is on the rise, as clinical applications for the iPSC-derived tissues increase in number. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells. There are now two iPSC-derived cell therapeutic products in clinical trials, RIKEN’s iPSC-derived retinal sheets for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Cynata Therapeutics’ CYP-001 for graft vs. host disease (GvHD).

Kyoto University is also launching the world’s first clinical trial utilizing an iPSC-derived therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease.

iPS Cell Research

With both iPS cell research and clinical activity expanding, the market for iPSC-derived tissues is poised to experience rapid growth.

With more than 200 different cell types in the human body, a key goal of Cellular Dynamics International (CDI), a Fujifilm company, is to continue to expand the portfolio of available human iPSC-derived tissues where possible and where there is a scientific need.  For example, CDI’s first-generation GABAergic iCell Neurons are inhibitory cortical neurons that recapitulate many features of human neurons.

The utility of this cell type was immediately demonstrated as an alternative model to primary animal-based neuronal preparations for assessing neurite outgrowth as well as developmental and general neuronal cytotoxicity.  However, as they are a primarily inhibitory neuronal population, they provided limited utility for assessing networked neuronal electrical activity. [Read more…]