title: Current applications of human pluripotent stem cells: possibilities and challenges.
abstract: Stem cells are self-renewable cells with the differentiation capacity to develop into somatic cells with biological functions. This ability to sustain a renewable source of multi- and/or pluripotential differentiation has brought new hope to the field of regenerative medicine in terms  of cell therapy and tissue engineering. Moreover, stem cells are invaluable tools as in vitro models for studying diverse fields, from basic scientific questions such as developmental processes and lineage commitment, to practical application including drug screening and testing. The stem  cells with widest differentiation potential are pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), which are rare cells with the ability to generate somatic cells from all three germ layers. PSCs are considered the most optimal choice for therapeutic potential of stem cells, bringing new impetus to the field  of regenerative medicine. In this article, we discuss the therapeutic potential of human PSCs (hPSCs) including human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), reviewing the current preclinical and clinical data using these stem cells. We describe the  classification of different sources of hPSCs, ongoing research, and currently encountered clinical obstacles of these novel and versatile human stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Institute of Cellular and System Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pai-Jiun
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Men-Luh
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Shaw-Fang
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Yet
authors.forename: B Linju
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Yen
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D044968:Regenerative Medicine; D023822:Tissue Engineering