Core Insights - Sir John Gurdon, known as the "father of cloning," passed away on October 7, 2025, at the age of 92 [2] - Gurdon's pioneering research in nuclear transfer addressed fundamental questions in biology regarding the retention or loss of genetic information during development [4] - His work laid the groundwork for significant breakthroughs in biomedical fields, including stem cell biology, mouse genetics, cloning technology, and in vitro fertilization [4] Background and Achievements - Born on October 2, 1933, in Hampshire, England, Gurdon faced academic challenges early in life, particularly in biology, but persevered to earn a PhD from Oxford University in 1957 [8] - He demonstrated that mature cells could be reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell state, disproving the long-held belief that specialized cells could not revert to an immature state [8] - In 1962, Gurdon successfully replaced the nucleus of a fertilized egg from an African clawed frog with a nucleus from a tadpole's intestinal cell, resulting in a new, fertile frog, proving that mature cells contain complete genetic information necessary for all cell types [8]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the innovative method of chemical reprogramming to generate human chemical induced pluripotent stem cells (hCiPS cells), highlighting its potential in regenerative medicine and the advantages of using human blood cells as a source for these stem cells [2][10]. Group 1: Chemical Reprogramming Method - The chemical reprogramming method allows for the conversion of somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells using a combination of small molecules, providing a more flexible and simpler approach compared to traditional transcription factor-based methods [2][6]. - In 2025, the team led by Professor Deng Hongkui successfully established an accelerated chemical reprogramming platform by overcoming key epigenetic barriers, enhancing the efficiency of generating hCiPS cells [2][4]. Group 2: Source of Cells - Human blood cells are identified as the most accessible and convenient source for generating hCiPS cells, although challenges remain in the chemical reprogramming of these cells [3][6]. - The research demonstrated high efficiency in chemical reprogramming from both fresh and frozen blood cells, with the ability to generate over 100 hCiPS cell clones from just a drop of fingertip blood [7][14]. Group 3: Research Highlights - The study published in Cell Stem Cell represents a significant advancement in the field, overcoming the critical bottleneck of starting cell sources for chemical induced pluripotent stem cell production [4][10]. - The method is noted for its robustness and reproducibility, making it a promising next-generation platform for efficient and scalable stem cell production in regenerative medicine [10][14].