Fibroblasts become neurons, with three genes
It appears that the state of pluripotency is not necessary to achieve a certain type. It is at least what has been demonstrated in a study published today in Nature.
A team of researchers from Stanford University in California has successfully transformed murine skin cells into nerve cells functioning to the implementation of only three genes. These cells have not previously had to become stem cells, the previous step for cells to acquire a new identity. In this way, and do not have to revert to this state, prevents the teratogenic effect. Marius Wernig’s team published the results of their work today in Nature, which shows that only three factors, Ascl1, Brn2 (also called Pou3f2) and Myt1l, can become postnatal human fibroblasts and murine embryonic cells into functioning neurons in vitro.
This group has used a panel of 19 genes that are involved in epigenetic reprogramming in neuronal development and function, up to three required for reprogramming. They then applied the procedure in skin cells and mouse tail. They noted that about 20 percent of skin cells transformed into neurons in less than a week. “At first it seems a quick change, but it is an important step on the iPS, which takes several weeks. In addition, the iPS process is inefficient, because normally only between 1 and 2 percent of the original cells become pluripotent “, pointed Wernig.
Cells appeared not only neurons, but expressed neuronal proteins and formed synapses with other neurons in lab dishes. The researchers believe that this is a more direct way to achieve the desired cells to get through the iPS. Neurological cells can get directly from the patient will allow researchers to study a disease determinded such as Parkinson’s, in a laboratory dish. Someday be used for cell therapy.
Wernig’s group suggests that the pluripotent state, rather than changing an element of cells, may be more than just another cell state. Thus, with the appropriate combination of specific genes for each of the desired cell types can have a ripple effect on the target cell, erasing the modifications of DNA restriction and printing a new target for development in the genome. “This is a difficult theory to prove, but we believe that the induction of iPS is an investment for development. It’s probably more than a direct conversion of what we are looking for, from one cell to another is happening is more than simply to the embryonic state. This makes our ideas on the epigenetic regulation are reversed. “
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Tags: epigenetic, Fibroblasts, neuronal development, neurons, skin cells, three genes