Source: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Date: April 7, 2008
Summary:
Neurons derived from reprogrammed adult skin cells successfully integrated into fetal mouse brains and reduced symptoms in a Parkinson’s disease rat model, according to a study published on April 7 in the online Early Edition of PNAS. This is the first demonstration that neurons derived from reprogrammed cells can integrate into an adult animal brain and improve symptoms of a neurodegenerative disease. The results may indicate a path to future therapeutic use in human patients, once hurdles associated with reprogramming adult cells have been addressed.
