What is a notable disadvantage of induced pluripotent stem cells?

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a significant advancement in regenerative medicine, as they can be derived from adult cells and have the potential to differentiate into any cell type in the body. However, one notable disadvantage associated with iPSCs is their potential for tumor formation.

This potential arises from the mechanisms used to reprogram cells into a pluripotent state. iPSCs typically involve the introduction of certain genes or factors that can lead to uncontrolled cell growth. Unlike naturally occurring stem cells, which have tightly regulated growth, iPSCs may retain an increased risk of forming tumors because the reprogramming process can disrupt normal regulatory pathways. As a result, while iPSCs hold great promise for therapies, the risk of tumorigenesis is a significant hurdle that researchers must address before implementing these cells in clinical settings.

The other options may describe characteristics of stem cells but are not accurate disadvantages of iPSCs. For example, symmetric division refers to how stem cells can divide to produce identical daughter cells, which can be a beneficial trait in certain contexts. The autologous nature of iPSCs signifies that they can be derived from the patient’s own cells, reducing the risks of immune rejection. Lastly, iPSCs do