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Induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells are generated in a laboratory from differentiated cells, such as a patient's skin cells.

These cells can be reprogrammed when viral vectors that contain genes for specific transcription factors are introduced into the cells.

When the transcription factors are expressed, genes are turned on. Over several generations the skin cells dedifferentiate and are restored to their pluripotent stem cell state.

Like embryonic stem cells, iPS cells can form most body cell types and be transplanted into a patient to treat tissue damage or disease.

Using iPS cells avoids some ethical issues of using embryonic cells because, unlike embryonic stem cells, which are derived from the inner cell mass of embryos, iPS cells are obtained from adult cells.

Treating a patient with iPS cells also minimizes the risk of rejection because the cells originate from a patient’s own body.