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Researchers have identified the process that ages skin and other human organs, which could prove to be a major breakthrough in regenerative medicine.
Through “Cellular reprogramming”, a team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison discovered the mechanism that controls the aging and rejuvenation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which can transform into different types of cells, such as muscles or bones.
Their study, published Monday in the journal Stem Cells, adds to what scientists already knew about how cellular processes age MSCs.
“Our study goes further to provide insight into how reprogrammed MSCs are molecularly regulated to improve cellular characteristics of aging,” said one of his co-authors Wan-Ju Li.
“We believe our findings will help improve understanding of MSC aging and its importance in regenerative medicine.
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Israeli scientists claim they partially reversed cell aging process for first time in history
Regenerative medicine is about the regrowth, replacement, and healing of organs or tissues damaged by age and disease.
Researchers extracted MSCs from human synovial fluid, the body’s natural lubricant found around joints, including the knees and elbows. They then “reprogrammed” the MSCs into a stem cell form converted to an embryonic-like state, giving scientists the ability to create any cell in the adult body.
The team found that a protein (GATA6) was repressed in the modified MSC cells, leading to an increase in another protein (known as SHH) and the expression of another (called FOXP1), active in the development of the brain, heart and lungs.
Dr Jan Nolta, editor-in-chief of Stem Cells, praised the identification of this protein pathway in controlling aging of MSCs as a “very important achievement.”
The discovery follows a recent and separate study by researchers at Israel’s Tel Aviv University, who claimed to have reversed the process of cellular aging, in a world first.
But compared to the University of Wisconsin-Madison study, the Israeli study is more controversial because of the process used to shorten telomeres – the little bits at the end of each chromosome. Later in life, this process can lead to an increased risk of age-related diseases, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
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