Source: Yale University
Date: January 31, 2011
Summary:
Researchers at Yale University and the University of Connecticut have discovered that one of the key genes in human embryonic stem cell development also enhances stem cell growth and survival — a significant finding made possible by funding from the state’s stem cell research program. The Connecticut-based research will be published in the March issue of the journal Stem Cells. The researchers said the finding could lead to new insights into how stem cells regenerate or repair damaged tissue in a host of diseases.
The research team focused on Lin28, one of a handful of key genes that together can make fully mature human cells become stem cells. Using sophisticated gene sequencing technology at the UConn Stem Cell Institute and Translational Genomics Core Facility in Farmington, Conn, the researchers found that Lin28 activates targeted groups of genetic molecules called messenger RNAs within cells in order to create proteins that are crucial in maintaining stem cell function and survival.
Lin28 was previously known for its role in controlling the function of certain microRNAs as part of stem cell development. The Yale and UConn scientists discovered an entirely new function of the Lin28 gene: enhancing the growth and creation of embryonic stem cells. A reviewer of the paper called the data a “treasure trove” of information about the function of Lin28.
