The researchers of National Academy of Sciences were also able to convert skin cells to nerve cells. Scientists were able to produce dopamine brain cells when they activated two genes of skin cells. The dopamine cells die during Parkinson’s disease and dopamine cells can be transplanted into the brain of patients having Parkinson disease. According to the article, in the future, cells from simple skin and hairs of a person will be used to convert them into nerve cells, and transplant those cells back into the same person brain. It is interesting article for me that how intelligent the scientists are to convert the skin cells into brain cells and doctors can use this technique to cure patients having tumor or damaged cells in their brain.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Conversion of Skin Cells to Brain Cells
An article, New Genetic Technique Converts Skin Cells into Brain Cells, published on Science Daily shows that it is possible to directly convert simple mature cells of human skin to brain cells, without passing through the stem cell stage. Passing through the stage of stem cell was riskier because it could form tumors during the cell transplantation. The activation of the three genes is necessary for the formation of the brain cells. Researchers of Lund University in Sweden had successfully developed the brain cells by changing the function and capacity of connective tissue cells, known as fibroblasts.
The researchers of National Academy of Sciences were also able to convert skin cells to nerve cells. Scientists were able to produce dopamine brain cells when they activated two genes of skin cells. The dopamine cells die during Parkinson’s disease and dopamine cells can be transplanted into the brain of patients having Parkinson disease. According to the article, in the future, cells from simple skin and hairs of a person will be used to convert them into nerve cells, and transplant those cells back into the same person brain. It is interesting article for me that how intelligent the scientists are to convert the skin cells into brain cells and doctors can use this technique to cure patients having tumor or damaged cells in their brain.
The researchers of National Academy of Sciences were also able to convert skin cells to nerve cells. Scientists were able to produce dopamine brain cells when they activated two genes of skin cells. The dopamine cells die during Parkinson’s disease and dopamine cells can be transplanted into the brain of patients having Parkinson disease. According to the article, in the future, cells from simple skin and hairs of a person will be used to convert them into nerve cells, and transplant those cells back into the same person brain. It is interesting article for me that how intelligent the scientists are to convert the skin cells into brain cells and doctors can use this technique to cure patients having tumor or damaged cells in their brain.
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This would be a good alternative for those who are still opposed to stem cell research. It would be easier to do it this way considering how easily attainable skin cells are in comparison to stem cells. I wonder if these converted skin cells are just as high functioning as real brain cells?
ReplyDeleteI agree. If the transplants work as normal brain cells conditions like Parkinson's would be treatable in the future helping many people.
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