New Method to Induce Pluripotency in Cells

Researchers from John Hopkins Medical Institutions have devised a new method to induce pluripotency in cells and coax them to differentiate into functioning cardiomyocytes. They used plasmids, segments of DNA normally found in simple cells like bacteria, to introduce genes that are known to cause cells to revert to stem cells or other kinds of pluripotent cells. Traditional methods involved nutrient broths and/or incorporating genes directly into the cell's genetic material using a virus. These methods are unreliable, especially for cardiomyocytes, or could result in neoplasms. The introduction of plasmids allows genetic material to be introduced without incorporation, and degrades after the cells are induced to become pluripotent. This, combined with providing the proper mechanical signals and a special proprietary nutrient media, lead the cells to differentiate into cardiomyocytes.

I found this article interesting because it revealed that the field of stem cell research is active and providing new avenues for treating various pathologies. The reliability of this method and the reduction of risks, especially carcinogenesis, could make it more viable than traditional methods to produce cardiomyocytes from cells of a different lineage. This can be important in the treatment of patients who need replacement tissue, such as those who have suffered myocardial infarctions. The long term effects for a method producing cardiomyocytes could be a reduction of demand for heart transplants due to utilizing cells from the patients themselves. In light of the shortage of organs and possibility of rejection, treatments like the one mentioned can be beneficial for many sufferers of heart disease.

Link: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-04/new-cell-building-method-turns-blood-cells-directly-beating-heart-cells-using-rings-dna