New stem cell breakthrough
Adult skin cells bring new research possibilities
By Lindsay Fiori
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A new report from scientists at University of Wisconsin-Madison laboratories, published Nov. 22, documents the successful reprogramming of adult skin cells to create pluripotent cells. Pluripotent cells include embryonic stem cells and can be reprogrammed to become any of the 220 cell types in the human body, said John Lough, stem cell researcher and professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
"Until now pluripotent cells were only available from embryos," he said. "Two years ago I was saying this type of research would take 20 years to complete and now we're seeing it."
James Courtright, professor of biological sciences at Marquette, said he feels this newly discovered approach will effectively end ethically-based objections to stem cell research.
"From a scientific point of view, (using) non-embryonic tissue accomplishes the same end and from an ethical point of view it completely avoids the ethical problem," he said.
Lough said overcoming ethical obstacles will have profound effects on the medical and scientific communities in hospitals, labs and schools.
"This will lessen inhibitions on research and provide professionals and students with more opportunities," he said.
The research that led to the new report began in 2003. Junying Yu, project lead researcher and assistant scientist at UW-Madison, said she started out trying to prove a human embryonic cell could be turned back into a stem cell.
After accomplishing this, she said she focused on reprogramming the stem cells, a process that involved a three-year trial-and-error approach.
"We started with embryonic differentiated cells that came directly from human embryonic stem cells," Yu said. "We then tried to introduce different genes into the cells to see which ones allow you to reprogram."
Yu said she and her team identified four genes that allowed reasonably efficient reprogramming in developmental stage embryonic cells, post-natal soft skin cells and adult skin cells.
Published: 11/29/07 Section: News
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dan pierce
posted 11/29/07 @ 1:46 PM CST
Wisconsin researchers have discovered a way to create stem cells without using human embryos, a breakthrough experts say may pave the way toward successfully using stem cells for organ transplants. (Continued…)
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