Cell Conversion: Scientists Convert Mouse Skin Cells to Stem Cells in Breakthrough Study

A new achievement in regenerative medicine from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has opened the door for potential advancements that could aid in treatments that require donor cells.

The study, led by Dr. Yosef Buganim, succeeded in converting skin cells into stable and functional placenta-generating cells, known as induced trophoblast stem cells (iTSCs).

In 2006, two Japanese scientists, Shinya Yamanaka and Kazutoshi Takahashi, showed that skin cells can be essentially reprogrammed into functional embryonic stem-like cells with the introduction of four genes.

This discovery led to the allowance for progress in cell conversion, which has since included conversion of blood, nerve, heart, and liver cells. It also resolved the ethical issue of using embryonic stem cells (ESCs), which are capable of self-renewel, long-term growth, and can give rise to every single cell type. Despite this therapeutic advantage, ESCs proved difficult to use due to ethical issues and problems with allogenic immune rejection of the cells.

Buganim and his team screened mice for genes that could support the development of the placenta in the animal. The three genes they identified - Gata3, Eomes, and Tfap2c - initiated a cell fate program that converted skin cells into iTSCs when introduced into the skin cells. These cells look just like native TSCs, and function normally in placenta development.

The team now wishes to apply the technology to generate fully-functional human iTSCs.

The study's success can give women who suffer from recurrent miscarriages and placental dysfunction disease a chance to have healthy babies. To date, tools to model or treat these diseases are limited because all attempts to isolate propagate the human placenta precursor cells in the dish have failed, according to the release.

The placenta is the least understood organ in the human body, but it is one of the most important, as it affects not only fetal health, but the health of woman for the duration of their lives.

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