Inducible pluripotent stem cells for the treatment of ischemic stroke: current status and problems.

Despite dramatic advancements in medical and surgical care, effective clinical therapies for ischemic stroke are limited. Stem-cell transplantation has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach for cell replacement in ischemic brain injuries. Inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have become an alternative cell source for transplantation. They possess efficient capacities for neural differentiation without ethical and immune-rejection concerns. Substantial function of iPSCs in pre-clinical models of ischemic brain injury has been observed. However, several problems remain regarding the treatment of ischemic stroke with iPSCs: tumorigenicity, poor iPSC derivation methods, and undefined delivery variables. With the development of iPSC research, safer and more effective strategies will be achieved for highly effective and tumor-free cell treatment of ischemic stroke.