You’ve heard me lament that we are not allowed to perform stem cell research. (Don’t believe me? Search for stem cells in the index.) At least not on the real stem cells.
So, that means, we need to choose skin cells (or other somatic body parts) and convert them so they have the potential and ability of pure stem cells. These sort of conversions began in 2006, when researchers in Japan determined they could convert skin cells (which have a form of stem cell) into “induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Now, a few Hebrew University professors, Dr. Yossi Buganim (Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research) Dr. Oren Ram (Institute of Life Science), and Tommy Kaplan (School of Computer Science and Engineering) [plus two grad students, Hani Benchetrit and Mohammed Jaber] might have just unlocked a key factor. Other team members included Valery Zayat, Shulamit Sebba, Avital Pushett, Kirill Makedonski, Zvi Zakheim, Ahmen Radwan, Naom Maoz, Rachel Lasry, Noa Renous, and Michal Inbar, all from Dr. Buganim’s lab.
His team just reported in Cell:Stem Cell that they were able to convert skin cells into the types of stem cells that form embryos. (This means three types of cells- the embryo, the placenta, and the extra-embryonic tissue [such as the umbilical cord]. ) It turns out that it’s five genes that are the primary engines of the transformation- at least in the mouse models they are examining.
One such gene, “Eomes”, allows the skin cell to produce placental stem cells. Esrrb, another gene, seems to be the only gene involved in helping develop extra-embryonic stem cell identities. The other involved genes include Gata3, Tfap2c, and Myc that convert the fibroblasts into iPSCs, iTSCs (trophoblast stem cells), and iXENs (extra-embryonic endoderm stem cells).
This is a two stage process. First, the skin cells have to lose their normal cellular identity. The next step has them developing their new identity (one of the three embryonic cell types).
No matter how advanced this seems, Dr. Buganim recognizes that the true embryo from stem cells may not be developed for another 50 years. Because the 3D structure of the embryo needs to be developed to enable the generation of a viable fetus.
At the very least, these developments will help researchers model embryonic disease and placental dysfunction, even if a true embryo is not created.
This is very interesting how they can convert skin cells to stem cells.
I agree, Martha. And, the embryo is a pretty complicated piece of development, too!