Induced pluripotent stem cells in wound healing

Stem cell therapy is emerging as an exciting new strategy for the treatment of chronic wounds representing a promising approach of regenerative medicine. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) represent an innovative, adult-derived, stem cell source with enhanced therapeutic and translational potential. iPSC are pluripotent stem cells derived from somatic donor cells, harvested via noninvasive techniques from a limitless donor pool. The use of iPSC technologies allows for generation of autologous pluripotent stem cell populations with enhanced in vivo survival while obviating ethical issues surrounding destruction of embryos. Because of their ability to differentiate into and repopulate all cell types found in the skin, iPSC have the potential to enhance each phase of wound healing via paracrine and direct cellular effects. Current methods that generate iPSC are often inefficient, predispose cells to mutagenesis, and yield impure cellular populations. Because undifferentiated cells carry tumorigenic potential, selection of terminally differentiated cells and use of cell-free extracellular vesicles may improve iPSC safety profile. While the ideal delivery platform for improving cell function and survival is yet to be designed, advances in bioengineered materials to create next-generation delivery scaffolds have shown promising results. Thus, despite tremendous advantages and promise for tissue regeneration, further studies to improve iPSC safety profile and generation methods are urgently needed prior to widespread clinical adoption.