TEHRAN -- Deputy head of Royan Research Institute Mostafa Najjar Asl says Iran is standing among the leading advanced countries in developing the pluripotent stem cell technology.
 “Iran ranks second in the region in this field and in the world alongside the European countries, including France and Germany,” Najjar Asl said.
Such a high position, he said, is the result of 30 years of efforts by the Iranian researchers and accumulated knowledge in this field.
“Two other products in the field of cell therapy and gene therapy, which are considered to be innovative treatments in the world, will enter the country’s pharmaceutical market next year,” Najjar Asl said.
Pluripotent stem cells are a particularly potent type of stem cell that normally only exists during early embryonic development. What makes pluripotent stem cells so potent is their ability to form all three of the basic body layers (ectoderm/endoderm/mesoderm) and even germ cells.
Pluripotent stem cells, including the embryonic stem cells, epiblast stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells, possess the abilities of infinite self-renewal and differentiation into all the cell types of three germ layers.
Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are attractive sources for regenerative medicine due to their unlimited availability and scalability.