Finding a cellular Neverland: How stem cells stay childlike

Source: Salk Institute
Posted: June 26, 2006

Summary:

A forthcoming study authored by a team of scientists from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies describes how some embryonic stem cells succeed in recapturing lost cellular innocence and start anew once they begin maturing. The study demonstrates how a DNA-binding protein called Nanog coaxes mouse ES cells trying to differentiate into muscle cells back into an immature state. Nanog is named for the legendary Celtic land Tir nan Og where people remained forever young. For human tissue regeneration to become a viable therapy for conditions like neurodegeneration or diabetes, clinicians will likely need to artificially manipulate factors that return adult brain or pancreatic cells to a cellular "Tir Nan Og" to restore adult cell types.

Commentary: Hopefully this finding will advance research into the ability of adult cells to revert to an embryonic-like state that will enable cells destroyed by injury or disease to be replaced and at the same time avoiding the ethical controversy that surrounds embryonic stem cell research.