UCLA researchers Kathrin Plath and William Lowry genetically altered human skin cells to create cells closely identical to human embryonic stem cells; having the ability to transform into every type of cell found in the human body. To do so, four regulator genes were used known as induced Pluripotent Stem Cells or iPS cells. Pluripotent stem cells have the potential to differentiate into any of the three germ layers; endoderm, mesoderm or ectoderm. The combination of these four genes regulate the expression of the downstream genes and either activate or silence their expression.
This alteration has the potential to produce potentially limitless sources of immune-compatible cells used for tissue engineering and transplantation medicine. The reprogramming of an ill adult’s skin cells into embryonic stem cells could then be stimulated into becoming a range of different cell types for example, a new blood supply for a leukemia patient, beta islet cells to treat diabetes or motor neuron cells to treat Parkinson’s disease. These new techniques also has the potential to replace a controversial method used to regulate stem cells known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) also referred to as therapeutic cloning. Therapeutic cloning has so far shown to be unsuccessful to humans.
Although this research was previously reported by Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University and James Thompson at the University of Wisconsin, Plath and Lowry collaborated together with Thompson and Yamanaka demonstrating that human iPS cells are easily differentiated and are likely to make history in stem cell-based regenerative medicine.
References: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080211172631.htm
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