Hebrew University (HU) of Jerusalem scientists discovered how to convert skin cells into early-stage embryos major stem cell types. These three kinds of stem cell play an important role in modeling embryonic disease and placental dysfunctions. Moreover, it can also permit skin cells as a source for creating whole embryos.
Lead author Dr. Yossi Buganim of HU's Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research and a team of scientists published their findings in Cell Stem Cell regarding a set of genes that has the capacity to produce all three kinds of stem cell from murine skin cells. These cell types include the placenta, the extraembryonic tissues, and the embryo. There is a possibility that human embryos can be created entirely from human skin cells without the need for sperm or eggs. This sheds light on placental dysfunctions and for modeling embryonic defects. Individuals who have infertility problems can also have the possibility of creating human embryos in a petri dish.
A previous study in 2006 by Japanese scientists showed that an entire fetus can be generated through the reprogramming of skin cells into early embryonic cells. This is permissible by showing four central embryonic genes. The scientists coined these reprogrammed skin cells as Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs). This iPCSs have similar properties to cells that develop in the early days after fertilization. However, these cells cannot develop into extra-embryonic tissues.
"Now, the Hebrew University research team, headed by Dr. Yossi Buganim, Dr. Oren Ram from the HU's Institute of Life Science and Professor Tommy Kaplan from HU's School of Computer Science and Engineering, as well as doctoral students Hani Benchetrit and Mohammad Jaber, found a new combination of five genes that, when inserted into skin cells, reprogram the cells into each of three early embryonic cell types-iPS cells which create fetuses, placental stem cells, and stem cells that develop into other extraembryonic tissues, such as the umbilical cord. These transformations take about one month," according to Phys.
The team studied the molecular forces that regulate skin cell reprogramming and how the embryo develops. They were able to find that the "Esrrb" gene controls the development of fetus stem cells while the "Eomes" gene stimulates the cell towards placental stem cell identity and placental development.
There have been recent attempts to develop an entire mouse embryo without the use of sperm or egg cells that utilized direct isolation of the three early cell types from a live, developing embryo. The team's study, however, is the first trial to use skin cells in creating all three main cell lineages.
