BioEssays 12/2024

Abstract

Human pluripotent stem cells acquire mutations in culture. The resulting genetically variant cells that possess advantageous phenotypes are selected in culture over time, eventually leading to their overtake. In article 2400062, John Vales and Ivana Barbaric highlight a collection of genetic variations that are recurrently found in stem cell culture. The authors also recollect how our understanding of genetically variant human pluripotent stem cells has grown over the past 20 years since the discovery of these aberrant cells in 2004, particularly bringing attention to the phenotypes associated with specific recurrent variants, how these are similar to those found in cancer cells, and how they might affect the applications of human pluripotent stem cells in both clinical and research settings.