Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Amniotic Fluid Cells of a Fetus with Hb Bart’s Disease

Abstract

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from diseased patients behave as a powerful tool for biomedical research and may provide a source for replacement therapies. In this study, we generated iPSCs from amniotic fluid cells of a fetus with Hb Bart’s (γ4) disease (– –/– –). The established iPSCs showed pluripotency similar to that of human embryonic stem cells. They were able to differentiate into various somatic cell types and maintained normal karyotypes after long periods of culture in vitro. The patient-specific iPSCs offer a valuable model for advancing α-thalassemia (α-thal) research and early treatment of the affected fetuses.

Keywords:

• Amniotic fluid cells
• Hb Bart’s (γ4) disease
• induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China10.13039/50110000180981571448This study was supported by grants from the NSFC/National Natural Science Foundation of China [81571448].