A new stem cell discovery might one day lead to a more streamlined process for obtaining stem cells, which in turn could be used in the development of replacement tissue for failing body parts, according to scientists. Building on a strategy that involves reprogramming adult cells back to an embryonic state in which they again have the potential to become any type of cell, University of California/San Francisco (UCSF; California, USA), researchers have genetically removed multiple barriers to reprogramming, finding that the efficiency of generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be greatly increased. Reporting that: “Genetic interaction studies of endocytosis or ubiquitination reveal that barrier pathways can act in linear, parallel, or feedforward loop architectures to antagonize reprogramming,” the study authors submit that: “These results provide a global view of barriers to human cellular reprogramming.”
Stem Cell Discovery Important for Regenerative Medicine
University of California team makes discovery about how we obtain stem cells, with potential applications for creating replacement tissues and organs.
Qin H, Diaz A, Blouin L, Lebbink RJ, Patena W, Tanbun P, LeProust EM, McManus MT, Song JS, Ramalho-Santos M. “Systematic Identification of Barriers to Human iPSC Generation.” Cell. 2014 Jul 17;158(2):449-61.
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