| Characteristics | ASCs | ESCs | iPSCs |
| Potency | Limited (multipotent or uni-potent) | Pluripotent | Pluripotent |
| Availability | Easy | Difficult | Easy |
| Ethical issues | Less problematic | More problematic | Less problematic |
| Immunogenicity | Less problematic | More problematic | Less problematic |
| Self-renewing period | Shorter | Longer | Longer |
| Teratogenicity | Less tumorigenic | Yes | Yes |