Pluripotent Stem Cells, Teratoma

A benign tumor called a teratoma consists of several different types of tissues derived from all three germ layers (ecto-, meso- and endoderm; e.g., the hair, bone, and intestine) in various stages of maturation that lack organization. Because a teratoma contains specialized cells as such, the cellular ability to grow into a teratoma is a hallmark of cellular pluripotency. However, this cellular ability negatively impacts the application of pluripotent stem cells to a cell-based therapy. This article presents a survey of the biology of a teratoma.

Origin of a Teratoma

One out of 40,000 live births may develop a teratoma (4:1 female-to-male preponderance) that is often found in the ovaries, testes, or tailbone but occasionally in the brain. The incidence of teratoma development accounts for 20–25 percent ...

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