A study published March 01/09 in Nature, outlines Mount Sinai Hospital's Dr. Andras Nagy's discovery of a new method of developing pluripotent stem cells (cells that can develop into most other cell types) without the use of viruses to deliver new gene codes.
The use of viruses to perform this job carries potential risk factors such as damaging the existing genetic code and having to eliminate the virus after it has served its purpose. Dr. Nagy's method uses a novel wrapping procedure to deliver specific genes to reprogram cells into stem cells. This method removes a lot of ethical roadblocks such as the use of embryonic stem cells and the implications of damaging a persons DNA with virus delivery.
As with a lot of new stem cell development, these pluripotent cells can be produced from many "mundane" cells such as skin cells. This method will help pave the way for regenerative medicine and further development of ethically sound stem cell technology.
By - 42024190
References:
Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute (March 1st, 2009), Researchers make stem cell breakthrough [Internet]. Available: http://www.physorg.com/news155138024.html [22/03/09]
