Editorial: Stem cell technologies meet stem cell biology to shine new light into tropical infectious diseases

Stem Cell lines (iPSC) can be derived from blood cells or fibroblasts. These iPSCs can be cultured 120 and stored indefinitely and differentiated into different cell types relevant to the study of parasites: 121 erythrocytes, cardiomyocytes, trophoblasts. Organoids can also be generated from iPSCs to provide 122 tridimensional niches mimicking the natural environments where these parasites dwell. The potential 123for replicating these advances in the vectors involved in the transmission of these diseases is also 124 being developed. Understanding of stem and proliferative cells in multicellular metazoan parasites is 125becoming a new field leading to the better understanding of the biology of these parasites and hence 126 revealing targets for novel control strategies. 127