Cats Really are Man’s Best Friend– Production of cat iPS Cells

Ryoji Kanegi
Department of Advanced Pathobiology Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University

 

 

 

 

 

Domestic cats live with humans all over the world. Severe diseases, such as diabetes and kidney failure, are common in cats. So some cat owners desire advanced treatments including organ or cell transplantations. But regenerative medicine in cats are now developing. Then we have been studying the production of cat iPS cells, which can proliferate infinitely and differentiate into all cell types. Now we established cat iPS cells and are trying to generate ones of higher ability to proliferate and differentiate. Our results will support treatments and research of cat diseases, furthermore providing much knowledge for preservation of wild feline family and human regenerative medicine.