Scientists have taken what has been called an " important step in the right direction " toward being able to grow viable human organs using stem cells , after they discovered that reprogramming adult cells into pluripotent stem cells resulted in " no differentiation " between them and embryonic stem cells . Reprogramming involves " switching on " genes that are active in a stem cell and " turning off " the genes responsible for turning the cell into a specialised one . scientists in Russia who carried out the work say that pluripotent cells could " provide an unlimited supply of replacement cells and tissues " in the future .
Scientists have taken what has been called an "important step in the right direction" toward being able to grow replacement human organs using stem cells, after they discovered that reprogramming adult cells into pluripotent stem cells resulted in "no difference" between them and embryonic stem cells. Reprogramming involves "switching on" genes that are active in a stem cell and "turning off" the genes responsible for turning the cell into a specialised one. Researchers in Russia who carried out the work say induced pluripotent cells could "provide an unlimited supply of replacement cells and tissues" in the future.