SCNT shown to generate stem cells superior to iPSCs
Direct comparison between SCNT and iPSCs shows that the two methods produce differing cells
Research has shown that different methods used to generate stem cells result in slightly differing cells, providing a new insight into the basic biology of stem cells.
The researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University and Salk Institute for Biological Studies compared stem cells generated by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and iPSCs, using the same skin cells as the source of donor genetic material.
All of the resultant cell lines were pluripotent, but the DNA methylation and gene expression patterns differed between the iPSC- and SCNT-generated cell lines, showing that differences in the reprogramming methods affect the stem cells generated. The SCNT-generated cell lines more closely resembled embryonic stem cells, the gold standard of stem cell generation, meaning SCNT could be considered a better method for cell replacement therapies.