诱导性多能干细胞(induced pluripotent stem cell, iPSC)是通过将几个特定的转录因子导入分化的体细胞以诱导体细胞重编程而获得的可不断自我更新且具有多向分化潜能的多能干细胞。如同胚胎干细胞, iPSC仍维持未分化状态，可分化为3个胚层来源的所有细胞以参与机体所有组织和器官的形成。这项技术避免了干细胞研究领域的免疫排斥和伦理道德问题，同时为特异性疾病的研究提供了强有力的工具。因此，iPSC研究不仅具有重要的理论研究意义，而且在再生医学及药物筛选与评价方面具有很好的应用价值。

 Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated from differentiated somatic cells that can be reprogrammed by transduction of a few defined transcription factors, and have the potentials of self-renewal and multiple differentiation. Like embryonic stem cells, iPSCs remain in undifferentiated state, and have the ability to differentiate into all cells of the three primary germ layers to participate in the formation of all tissues and organs of body. This technique avoids immune rejection and ethical issues in the field of stem cell research, as well as provides a powerful tool to research specific disease. Therefore, iPSCs have not only an important significance for theoretical research but also a great application value in regenerative medicine and drug screening and evaluation.