A study was initiated to amplify by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a short factor VIII gene fragment containing the Bcl I restriction site from hemophilia patients using published primer sequences. Preliminary findings indicated that the resulting fragment is 142 bp long. This fragment, when digested with Bcl I restriction enzyme produced two fragments, 99 bp and 43 bp in length. Polymorphism in the Bcl I region can be used to detect carrier state in the family members of the hemophiliacs.
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are derived from human somatic cells through ectopic expression of transcription factors. This landmark discovery has been considered as a major development towards patient-specific iPSC for various biomedical applications. Unlimited self renewal capacity, pluripotency and ease of accessibility to donor tissues contribute to the versatility of iPSC. The therapeutic potential of iPSC in regenerative medicine, cell-based therapy, disease modelling and drug discovery is indeed very promising. Continuous progress in iPSC technology provides clearer understanding of disease pathogenesis and ultimately new optimism in developing treatment or cure for human diseases.