Reply to Thread New Thread |
![]() |
#1 |
|
By Maggie Monk, Health and Research Publisher California (Reuters) - U.S. Scientists said on Thursday they'd develop the best way yet to create stem-like cells using a patient's regular skin cells, this time around by using real individual proteins. The group at Harvard University and Massachusetts-based Advanced level Cell Technology Inc said their method requires treating cells in human proteins that reverse the time naturally, making the cells act like effective embryonic stem cells. Immediate commercial applications are seen almost by dr. Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell. "After several more flight tests -- to be able to guarantee every thing is working precisely -- it ought to be ready for industrial use," Lanza said by e-mail. He explained the organization might find Food and Drug Administration choice to check the cells in people by next year -- a procedure impossible to be fast, particularly with a brand-new technology similar to this one. Stem cells would be the body's grasp cells, giving rise to any or all the cells, organs and body. As every one is pluripotent, with the potential to change in to almost any muscle, embryonic stem cells are seen as the most effective type. Health practitioners aspire to someday use medicine to be transformed by them, for example, by regenerating the cells damaged in type 1 diabetes or regrowing attention cells to slow blindness. But embryonic cells involve the usage of an or cloning technology, and a few places, like the Usa, control funding for such tests. A few groups of boffins have homed in on four genes that may reverse the time in regular cells, making them look and behave like embryonic stem cells. These alleged activated pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, might theoretically be produced utilizing a patient's own skin, enabling grow-your-own transplants without any threat of rejection. Finding these genes in to the cells isn't easy, however. The very first efforts used retroviruses, which combine their very own genetic material in to the cells they invade. The others used coils of genetic material called plasmids and other genetically engineered substances to reformat the cells. And still another group used the proteins produced by the four genes and valproic acid to reprogram cells, but Lanza said these procedures all have disadvantages. His team, dealing with Kwang-Soo Kim of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and a at CHA Stem Cell Institute in South Korea employed the human proteins to be dragged by a peptide a protein fragment in to the cells. "These have now been around for an extended time," Lanza said. The peptide is used by "the AIDS virus to get involved with the cells it infects," he explained. Applying cells from the foreskins of newborn kids -- a typical laboratory method -- they showed they could change the cells into iPS cells. They regrew them right into a number of adult new cell types, they noted in the journal Cell Stem Cell. "This technique removes the dangers related to genetic and chemical treatment, and provides for the very first time a potentially secure supply of iPS cells for translation in to the clinic," Lanza said. "This may be the final base cell answer -- some proteins are just added by you to a couple skin cells and voila! Patient-specific base cells!" One issue that's unclear is who possesses the technology. Lanza said several organizations have attempted to patent the different methods along the way and it's not even clear whose patents may dominate. (Editing by Anthony Boadle) ? Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved
|
![]() |
Reply to Thread New Thread |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|