Skin Cells Reprogrammed into Brain Cells Repair MS-like Damage in Mice
February 26, 2018
Researchers at the University of Cambridge and collaborators report that transplanting adult skin cells reprogrammed to become neural stem cells (specialized brain stem cells) reduced inflammation and damage to the nervous system in mice with MS-like disease. This type of success has been reported before, but this study identified the mechanism behind the benefits of transplanting the cells: the cells reduced the amount of “succinate,” a small molecule that sends inflammatory signals to immune cells.
This research was funded by the Wellcome Trust, European Research Council, Medical Research Council, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association, Congressionally-Directed Medical Research Programs, the Evelyn Trust and the Bascule Charitable Trust.
Learn more about this research, from the University website
Read the paper online in Cell Stem Cell
Explore the potential of stem cells in MS