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Posted on Sep 22, 2002, 11 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
A team of Norwegian scientists have managed to transform skin cells into nerves and immune system cells. Until now scientists have thought that nerve cells could only produce other nerve cells, skin cells only other skin cells, and so on. However, results of the study conducted at the University of Oslo have demonstrated that this is not the case.
A team of Norwegian scientists have managed to transform skin cells into nerves and immune system cells. Until now scientists have thought that nerve cells could only produce other nerve cells, skin cells only other skin cells, and so on. However, results of the study conducted at the University of Oslo have demonstrated that this is not the case. In order to "re-program" the skin cells the scientists grew them in a liquid containing chemicals made by nerves. Soon the skin cells started to look like nerves and then they began to activate genes used by nerve cells. The scientists then grew some more skin cells in chemicals produced by immune cells and the cells then began to take on the characteristics of immune cells. While the researchers have yet to test the new cells to see if they function as nerve and immune cells, they believe that their findings could lead scientists to new treatments for diseases such as stroke and Parkinson's disease where an abundant supply of specific cells is needed. Such a technique could remove the need for stem cells.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.bbc.co.uk on the 30th April 2002
