Overview: an iPS cell stock at CiRA

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be produced from various somatic cells and have the ability to differentiate into various cells and tissues of the body. Regenerative medicine using iPSCs is expected to manage diseases lacking effective treatments at present. We are establishing a safe and effective iPSC stock that can be used for regenerative medicine. Our iPSC stock is recruited from healthy, consenting HLA-type homozygous donors and is made with peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells or umbilical cord blood. We hope to minimize the influence of immune rejection by preparing HLA homozygous iPSCs. Our stock is made at the Cell Processing Center (CPC), Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA). We are preparing iPS cells that maximize matching of the Japanese population at the major HLA loci. This iPSC stock is intended to be offered not only to Japanese centers but also overseas medical institutions and companies. In August 2015, we began offering the iPSC stock for regenerative medicine and now offer 21 clones made from 5 donors.