Skin Cells Morph Into Brain Cells

Researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have discovered a technique that converts skin cells into brain cells. This new technique utilizes fibroblasts and converts them into oligodendrocytes, the cell responsible for myelinating neurons in the CNS. Researchers were able to accomplish this task by a process termed cellular programming in which three naturally occurring proteins to induce fibroblasts to become oligodendrocytes. Until now, researchers have had to use pluripotent cells to replace damaged neurons. Now neurons can be generated 'on demand' to cure debilitating neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and other leukodystrophies.

This website was very interesting because I had done my student lecture presentation on a neurological disorder and at the moment I was not able to find any current research on leukodystrophies. I am surprised to find that skin cells can eventually lead to precursors to oligodendrocytes.

http://bioengineer.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=349:skin-cells-morphed-into-functional-brain-cells&catid=89:news&Itemid=494