Table 1 Comparison of embryonic, adult, and iPSCs for generating organoids
Feature | ESCs | ASCs | iPSCs | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Origin | Inner cell mass of a blastocyst (early embryo) | Various adult tissues (bone marrow, fat, etc.) | Reprogrammed adult cells | [32] |
Pluripotency | Yes—Can differentiate into all three germ layers (endoderm, mesoderm, ectoderm) and become any cell type in the body | No (Multipotent)—Can differentiate into a limited number of cell types specific to their tissue of origin | Yes (Similar to embryonic)—Can potentially differentiate into all three germ layers | |
Self-renewal | Yes—Can divide indefinitely while remaining undifferentiated | Yes (Limited)—Can divide for many cycles but eventually lose ability to self-renew | Yes—Can divide for extended periods | |
Ethical Concerns | Yes—Destroys a blastocyst, raising ethical questions | No—No embryos harmed | Can vary—Depends on the method used for reprogramming | |
Availability | Limited—Requires strict regulations and may not be readily available | More readily available—Can be isolated from various tissues | Potentially more readily available than embryonic | [38] |
Immune Rejection | High risk—Cells are not genetically identical to the recipient | Lower risk—Can be obtained from the same patient (autologous) | Similar to embryonic (depends on reprogramming method) |