Pluripotency redux--advances in stem-cell research.

Deciphering the molecular basis of pluripotency will facilitate the development of procedures for efficiently deriving patient-specific stem cells. Dr. John Gearhart, Evanthia Pashos, and Megana Prasad discuss the latest research on human embryonic stem cells. Douglas Melton discusses new methods of creating mouse embryonic stem cells, their promise for use in human cells, and the effects of U.S. politics on stem-cell research. Dr. Melton is scientific director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and a professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University.