From the "elixir of immortality" in mythology to today's anti-aging health trends, humanity's yearning for "eternal life" has never waned. Yet, in the eyes of scientists, so-called immortality is no longer a myth—it’s a medical reality that may be just around the corner. In 2006, Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka successfully "rejuvenated" ordinary skin cells in his lab, transforming them back into versatile pluripotent stem cells capable of developing into any type of cell in the body—welcome to the world of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)!

Its emergence not only shocked the academic community but also earned Shinya Yamanaka the Nobel Prize in 2012. Today, iPSCs have become a star player in regenerative medicine, steadily moving from the lab to clinical applications—and even pushing the boundaries of what’s thought possible for human lifespan. So, what exactly are iPSCs? And how far are we from achieving true "immortality"?

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The Origin of Stem Cells and Scientific Breakthroughs

The concept of stem cells was first proposed in 1908 by Russian scholar Alexander Maximow, who suggested that all blood cells originate from a single "mother cell." However, definitive evidence didn't emerge until after the Hiroshima nuclear bombing in 1945, when scientists discovered that hematopoietic stem cells are capable of rebuilding the entire blood system, marking the dawn of stem cell research.

Subsequently, in 1959, in vitro fertilization was successfully achieved; in 1978, the first test-tube baby was born. Then, in 1998, Professor Thomson at the University of Wisconsin in the United States pioneered the isolation of human embryonic stem cells (ESC), officially igniting the potential of regenerative medicine.

However, embryonic stem cells have sparked significant ethical controversy. Should the use of embryos be permitted? Does it involve a philosophical debate about the "beginning of life"? Precisely because of these concerns, research in this area has been restricted for many years. That is until 2006, when Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka discovered that ordinary somatic cells can be "reprogrammed"—after being introduced with four transcription factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc)—into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that possess nearly identical characteristics to embryonic stem cells.

This achievement not only sidesteps ethical dilemmas but also opens the door to a new world of personalized medicine. In 2012, Shinya Yamanaka, along with British scientist John Gurdon, jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this groundbreaking discovery—marking iPSCs as a milestone in stem-cell research!

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The characteristics and unique advantages of iPSCs

Compared to other stem cells, iPSCs offer several revolutionary advantages. First, they are widely available—just a few milliliters of blood or skin tissue is enough to obtain them. Second, they can proliferate almost indefinitely and differentiate into virtually any type of human tissue, including nerve cells, heart muscle cells, liver cells, and more—meaning they hold the potential to repair even severely damaged organs. Moreover, since iPSCs can be derived directly from the patient’s own cells, they significantly reduce the risk of immune rejection, eliminating the need for long-term reliance on immunosuppressive drugs.

More importantly, iPSC technology bypasses the ethical concerns associated with embryonic sources, enabling it to advance more rapidly into clinical research worldwide. Currently, iPSCs are already being utilized for disease modeling—recreating pathological processes such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in laboratory dishes—as well as for new drug screening and toxicology testing.

For instance, in 2021, the U.S. company BlueRock Therapeutics transplanted dopamine neurons differentiated from iPSCs into patients with Parkinson’s disease and subsequently received FDA Fast Track designation, marking a landmark breakthrough in regenerative medicine. This "rejuvenation" potential has also earned iPSCs the nickname "pluripotent stem cells," positioning them as a strategic cornerstone for cell therapy and longevity medicine!

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Applications and Clinical Advances of iPSC

As of 2025, nearly 80 iPSC-related products have entered the research and development phase globally, with 112 clinical studies currently underway. Over 1,200 patients have already received iPSC-based therapies, and more than 100 billion cells have been administered to humans to date.

Japan is a leader in this field, having completed the first iPSC-based retinal transplant surgery in 2014—so far, the patient has shown no signs of tumors. In 2022, Keio University further advanced the research by launching a clinical trial testing iPSC-derived neural stem cells for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. Meanwhile, China is rapidly catching up, as Nanjing University’s Gulou Hospital has successfully registered its iPSC-based cardiac disease project!

iPSC is also regarded as a cutting-edge tool in the fight against aging. Not only can it repair aged or damaged tissues, but it can also enhance the body's microenvironment through mechanisms such as exosome secretion and cytokine regulation. When combined with gene editing and organoid technology, iPSC holds even greater promise for personalized regenerative medicine in the future—potentially enabling the creation of "custom-made organs" tailored to individual patients, thereby addressing the critical shortage of transplant donors. As noted by the New England Journal of Medicine: "iPSC represents the most transformative discovery in regenerative medicine since embryonic stem cells!"

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Future Outlook: Death Is Just a Disease

Actually, death is just a disease! iPSCs have enormous potential—looking ahead, iPSCs will drive "three major revolutions":

First, disease modeling allows us to better and more precisely understand the causes of illnesses outside the body—much earlier than before. Second, drug development significantly shortens the research and development cycle while reducing the failure rate. Finally, anti-aging and regenerative therapies offer cell-replacement treatments, making it no longer just a fantasy to "slow down aging or even reverse it completely."

Globally, a business model for iPSC-based personalized storage has emerged—whereby iPSCs are extracted and preserved in youth for future on-demand use, effectively serving as "lifetime health insurance." This isn’t just a medical revolution; it’s also a clear signal that humanity’s life expectancy curve is about to be rewritten!

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Summary

From the 1908 stem-cell hypothesis to the groundbreaking emergence of iPSCs in 2006, humanity's understanding of cell fate has undergone a revolutionary transformation. iPSCs are not merely tools for regenerative medicine—they represent a pivotal key that empowers humans to confront diseases, combat aging, and even defy the very notion of death. While "immortality" remains an elusive dream, science is steadily bridging the gap between myth and reality. As the Nobel Committee eloquently stated in its citation: "iPSCs have fundamentally reshaped our understanding of cells and life itself."

Perhaps, in the near future, iPSCs will not only repair damaged organs but also push the boundaries of life itself. Humanity’s “dream of immortality” is quietly taking root—growing right here, within a petri dish of cells!