Improved Efficiency of Stem Cells

Scientists in China at the Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health in partnership with the Chinese Academy of Sciences have now found a key protein that can revolutionize the stem cell industry. This enzyme, which is able to greatly improve the efficiency of Vitamin C, which will make it easier to transform a body cell to a induced pluripotent stem cell. Vitamin C is the critical ingredient that stimulates reprogramming of cells. This is a type of stem cell that is derived from non-pluripotent, or cells with smaller capacity to differentiate.

IPS cells have always been thought of as being of great importance, they just did not know how to make them efficiently. In addition to the stem cell industry, this could also expand the organ transplant and gene therapy fields. This discovery also opened the door for understanding plripotency and cellular reprogramming by showing their barriers. It will lead the way to improve technology in this field, and it will also help in treating some diseases more effectively. The name of the key protein has not been published yet, but it will be released in the December edition of international journal "Cell, Stem Cell."

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-11/18/c_131256285.htm