‘Hearts and bones’: the ups and downs of ‘plasticity’ in stem cell biology

摘要: Abstract More than a decade ago, ‘plasticity’ suddenly became ‘fashionable’ topic with overemphasized implications for regenerative medicine. The concept of is supported by old transplantation work, at least embryonic cells, and metaplasia classic example plasticity observed in patients. Nevertheless, the publication series papers showing rare conversion given cell type into another unrelated raised possibility using any unaffected tissue to create will new cells replace different failing or organ. This resulted disingenuous interpretations reason not fund anymore research on stem (ESc). Moreover, many were difficult reproduce thus questioned; raising issues about as technical artefact consequence spontaneous fusion. recently, reprogramming adult differentiated pluripotent state (iPS) possible, later, one could be directly reprogrammed ( e.g. fibroblasts neurons) without reverting pluripotency. Although latter results from more robust experimental protocols, these phenomena also exemplify ‘plasticity’. In this review, we want place historical perspective still taking account ethical political implications.