In November Japanese researchers showed that adult human and mouse skin cells could be reprogrammed into stem cells similar to embryonic stem cells, which can be transformed into any type of cell. 11月，日本研究顯示，成年人類和老鼠的皮膚細胞，可重組成成幹細胞類似胚胎幹細胞，這種細胞可以轉變成任何類型的細胞。 These cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), has the potential to be a major step forward in using stem cells to cure a variety of diseases.這些細胞被稱為誘導多能幹細胞（ IPS ）技術，有可能成為一個重大的一步，在利用幹細胞來治療各種疾病。 A major concern with using such stem cells (iPS) to treat disease has been the possibility that the retrovirus used to implant the cells might cause cancer, but now a group of Japanese scientists solved that problem.備受關注的主要問題是利用這種幹細胞（ IPS ）技術，以治療疾病已成為一種可能性，即逆轉錄病毒用來植入細胞，有可能導致癌症，但現在一組日本科學家解決了這個問題。

In a study, published in the Feb. 14 issue of Science, the Japanese researchers prove these stem cells are made from normal mature adult cells, and they show that these stem cells can be implanted using a retrovirus without fear of causing cancer.在一份研究報告，發表在2月14日發行的科學，日本的研究人員證實這些幹細胞是從正常的成年細胞，研究結果顯示，這些幹細胞可被植入用反轉錄病毒而不用擔心會導致癌症。

“It will still take years of basic research before we become able to use iPS cells to treat patients,” said lead researcher Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, from Kyoto University in Japan. "它仍然需要數年的基礎研究，才成為能夠使用的IPS細胞治療的病人說： "這項研究的領導葉文信也山中，由日本京都大學在日本。 “We are doing our best to bring it to clinics as quick as possible.” I am really happy that Japanese researchers are taking a lead on this as US has traditionally been encumbered with so-called ethicists who opposed tooth and nail any progress in stem cell research. "我們正竭盡所能，把它送到診所盡可能快的， "我真的感到很高興的是，日本研究人員正帶頭對這種作為美國傳統上一直是作保與所謂倫理學家的人反對，牙齒和指甲有任何進展幹細胞研究。

In experiments with mice, Yamanaka’s team reprogrammed adult mouse liver and stomach lining cells into iPS cells.在實驗小鼠，山中的團隊重組成成年小鼠肝，胃內層細胞的IPS細胞。 Using a retrovirus, the scientists were able to transplant these cells into mice.利用反轉錄病毒，科學家們能夠移植這些細胞植入老鼠。 Moreover, Yamanaka’s team found that these reprogrammed cells avoided sites that are known to trigger tumors.此外，山中的研究小組發現，這些重組成細胞可以避免的網站是眾所周知引發腫瘤。 In fact, mice that received the iPS remained tumor-free for six months.事實上，在小鼠獲得的IPS仍然無瘤生存6個月。

The billion dollar question today is whether iPS cells will act like real embryonic stem cells in real life is yet to be determined. 10億美元今天的問題是，是否新聞通訊社細胞會像真正的胚胎幹細胞，在現實生活中是尚未能確定。