The research team concluded that ADCs represent a more clinically relevant cell type and that fat tissue can be easily accessed and grown easily and rapidly in cultures. Fat tissue cells, when reprogrammed, can also be prolific. The authors cited a study previously published in Cell Transplantation (16:9) suggesting that 100 ml of human fat tissue could yield one million clinically useful stem cells.

Their work takes the development of iPS cells a step closer toward their eventual clinical use in treating human diseases.

"There is considerable potential in the generation of iPS cells for the treatment of a number of disorders" said Dr. Paul Sanberg, coeditor-in-chief and Director of the Center Of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair at the University of South Florida. "Finding the optimal source of cells to start with, is of paramount importance and this study provides reassuring data on a highly favorable source".

Source: Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair