Transform skin cells into neurons

Scientists from Stanford University's Medical Institute (USA) announced on January 27 that they will first experiment directly on mice to convert skin cells into nerve cells through "seduction". Multifunctional stem cells.

The results of this study are important for scientists to explain cell differentiation and study regenerative medicine.

First, scientists selected 19 genes involved in cell recombination or neurodevelopment, then took advantage of a slow virus (lentivirus) to implant these genomes into skin cells. embryos of experimental mice.

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After 32 days, some skin cells begin to metabolize to nerve cells. The researchers then selected three genomes and continued to take advantage of the slow virus to transplant into the skin cells in the tail of the lab rat.

One week later, about 20% of the skin cells of experimental mice transformed into nerve cells. Not only can these neurons produce nerve proteins, they can also form synapses for other nerve cells.

The 'seduction' of multifunctional stem cells is through 'rearranging' the genome to bring about the stem cell state in the embryo, thereby creating the body cells similar to the cell differentiation function. original in the workpiece. The special function of cell wall transformation usually takes a few weeks and the conversion rate ranges from 1% to 2%.

Previously, scientists often thought that converting skin cells into other forms of body cells needed to undergo multi-functional stem cell seduction, and recently the field research was a in key scientific research areas.

Associate Professor Marius Veni of Stanford University said that their research has shown that the multi-functional phase may be just one of many cell states, not an essential way to convert skin cells into other cell types.

Finding the right combination of genes to 'lure' skin cells into other types of cells is important for scientists to explain cell differentiation and medical research. learn rebirth./.