For the first time, neurons were obtained directly from blood cells
Bioengineers have learned how to turn blood cells into neurons
Anna Govorova, Infox.ru
Bioengineers from McMaster University (Canada) managed to turn adult blood cells into neurons for the first time, Infox reports.
To do this, scientists used the method of direct reprogramming, bypassing the stem cell stage.
Currently, embryonic stem cells or ordinary somatic cells of an adult organism are used in cellular medicine, for example, skin cells that are returned pluripotency – the ability to transform into other cells. But in both cases, there is a great risk that they will not cope with pluripotency and develop into a cancerous tumor. A few years ago, scientists developed a method of direct reprogramming, when cells of one type of tissue turn into another type without a "dangerous" stem stage.
In 2010, Dr. Batia's team managed to achieve great results in the field of such direct reprogramming – scientists directly obtained hematopoietic cells from fibroblasts. At the same time, scientists from the University of California successfully conducted an experiment on the transformation of cardiac fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes, also using direct reprogramming.
In their current experiment, Dr. Batia and his colleagues used a human blood sample as the starting material. In the blood cells, scientists made the right gene work, which launched the program of their transformation into neurons. This was achieved by introducing an additional copy of the OCT4 gene into blood cells using a viral vector.
"Our technique allows us to obtain peripheral and central nervous system cells from a blood sample, and individually for each patient. No one has ever managed to do this before," says Dr. Batia (in a press release from McMaster University Blood to feeling: McMaster scientists turn blood into neural cells – VM).
Diagram from an article in Cell Reports – VM.
According to him, about one million neurons can be obtained from one blood sample in this way.
According to the authors, their study will help to study in more detail the mechanism of pain and develop new pain therapy methods that would act in a targeted manner without damaging healthy cells. In addition, Dr. Batia adds, the cells obtained in this way will help clarify the mechanism of development of diabetic neuropathy and find out which patients with diabetes mellitus may develop this disease.
The article by Canadian scientists was published in the latest issue of the journal Cell Reports (Lee et al., Single Transcription Factor Conversion of Human Blood Fate to NPCs with CNS and PNS Developmental Capacity, in open access).
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru25.05.2015