While the Fountain of Youth is the stuff of legend, the search for a way to stop humans from aging is happening as we speakinside the laboratory.
In a study published in the journal eLife on April 8, scientists at Babraham Institute in the U.K. managed to de-age the skin cells of a 53-year-old woman by 30 years in a petri dish. Looking at age-related biological changes in the DNA, these genetically-modified younger cells appeared and behaved as any 23-year-old skin cell should. Notably, the team was also able to de-age the cells in less than two weeks.
The techniques used in this experiment have been around for the last few decades. However, with the woman's skin cells, the researchers managed to shave off time from the usually long process while also avoiding the problems reprogrammed cells can often run into, like inadvertently turning cancerous.
This kind of work is very important, Dr. Ivona Percec, a plastic surgeon and stem cell researcher at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, told The Daily Beast. And its one thats been sought out by many scientists in order to reverse or delay aging.
Most rejuvenation or regeneration research makes use of human stem cells, which have the unique ability to develop into any other type of cell our body needs, such as muscle and brain cells. Stem cells can also renew themselves over time and serve as an internal repair system, replacing lost or damaged cells during a persons lifetime. But stem cells are quite difficult to produce in the laband are often rejected by the body when used in different types of therapies.
To get around these hurdles, scientists have been creating their own lab-grown stem cells called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). They are created by taking any cell in our body and genetically editing it to resemble an embryonic stem cell, George Sen, a molecular biologist at the University of California San Diego who was not involved in the study, told The Daily Beast in an email.
To make their iPSCs, the Babraham researchers reversed the cellular clock on their 53-year-old skin cells by bathing them in a chemical solution that encourages the growth of proteins that reshape a cells DNA. To control how far they de-age the cells, the researchers allowed the bath to run for a little less than two weeks than the typical 50 days. Then they assessed the age of the skin cells by looking for age-related biological changes.
I remember the day I got the results back and I didn't quite believe that some of the cells were 30 years younger than they were supposed to be, Dilgeet Gill, a biomedical researcher at Babraham Institute and lead author of the study, told the BBC. It was a very exciting day!"
Young fibroblasts in the first image. The next two images are after 10 days, right with treatment. The last two images are after 13 days, right with treatment. Red shows collagen production which has been restored.
Ftima Santos
These newly minted young skin cells, called fibroblasts, produce collagen, which is a protein responsible for healthy joints and elastic skin throughout the body. When researchers cut through the cell layer (like how if you injure your skin), the fibroblasts moved into the gash quickly to fill it, unlike the older cells.
Though the findings are quite encouraging, were still some ways from seeing this new de-aging technique used in a clinical setting. Experts also have some lingering questions regarding how long exactly this rejuvenation lasts and whether the new technique actually improves a cells lifespan.
The authors only looked for a short period of time after [applying Yamanaka factors] but what happens once the cell has divided a few times? Does the molecular clock catch up? asked Sen. The authors also never tested whether the de-aged fibroblasts behaved as younger fibroblasts in live animal models. This question would need to be addressed before this can be used as therapy.
Whether this is the key to the Fountain of Youth remains to be seen.
Dr. Johann Gudjonsson, University of Michigan
Dr. Johann Gudjonsson, a dermatologist who studies inflammatory skin conditions at The University of Michigan and wasn't involved in the study, is also skeptical of the experiment.
Whether this is the key to the Fountain of Youth remains to be seen, Gudjonsson told The Daily Beast in an email. He explained that telomeres, which are the caps binding the ends of DNA and shorten as we age, didnt appear to improve with the new studys treatment. Therefore while the function and state of the cells are rejuvenated it may not mean that their lifespan has changed, he said.
Even if longevity and immediate clinical applications arent in the cards, this new study does offer an interesting proof of concept for future medical research and potentially combating aging.
If this process can be applied to other cell types, one can imagine rejuvenating that particular cell type and using it to restore an aged/failing organ, said Sen. I believe this line of research has a lot of potential and we are just starting to understand the rules of how to reprogram cells.
More here:
Scientists De-Aged a Woman's Skin Cells by 30 Years - The Daily Beast
- New drug candidate uses novel absorption method to target cancer cells in mice - Michigan Medicine - August 22nd, 2022
- Jianping Fu Mechanical Engineering - University of Michigan - July 11th, 2022
- Cell Culture Market Key Drives Zeroing In On The Main Merchants | Danaher Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific Designer Women - Designer Women - July 11th, 2022
- Erasing The Stigma Of Sickle Cell Disease Through Advocacy - Essence - June 22nd, 2022
- This One Group Of People Holds The Key To Staying Young, Study Says Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That - May 2nd, 2022
- Primary Cells Market 2022 is set to experience a significant growth rate | PromoCell GmbH, HemaCare Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific ... - May 2nd, 2022
- 3D Cell Culture Market to 2030 | Industry Statistics, Emerging Demands, Forecast to 2030 | 3D Biotek, LLC Advanced Biomatrix, Inc. Becton, Dickinson... - May 2nd, 2022
- Oral Cavity | histology - University of Michigan - April 19th, 2022
- Unraveling Stem Cells' Secrets: Immortality of Germline Cells and the Function of Junk DNA - SciTechDaily - April 19th, 2022
- Longboat residents recall the greatest gifts - YourObserver.com - December 24th, 2021
- Nebraska Athletics News: Recruiting Season, Living Robots and Stuck in IKEA - Corn Nation - December 10th, 2021
- Duke Faculty Promoted or Appointed to the Rank of Full Professor - Duke Today - November 8th, 2021
- Lab-Growing Everything Might Be The Only Way To Attain A Sustainable World - Intelligent Living - November 8th, 2021
- Male Infertility Could Be Treated With Monkey Cells; New Study Shows How These Animals Could Help Address the Condition - Science Times - October 28th, 2021
- Insights & Outcomes: Place cells, planarians, and 'prewet' proteins - Yale News - October 28th, 2021
- Using a mini heart model to develop new therapies - MSUToday - October 5th, 2021
- Rowan University hosts National Science Foundation research program for undergrads - Rowan Today - August 31st, 2021
- Loss of a top autism gene may alter neuron structure - Spectrum - January 17th, 2021
- Rogel team receives $11.2M to leverage the microbiome against GVHD - Newswise - October 28th, 2020
- Latest Update 2020: What Are the Key Players Evolving In the Growth of the 3D Cell Culture Market? - re:Jerusalem - October 28th, 2020
- Listings - CON, THE on ABC | TheFutonCritic.com - The Futon Critic - October 15th, 2020
- ABC News Debuts New Primetime Series THE CON Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg - Broadway World - October 8th, 2020
- HOME GROWN: Pumpkins best left on the vine for as long as possible - The Oakland Press - October 8th, 2020
- Official Missteps in Michigan's Worst Covid Prison Outbreak - The Intercept - September 29th, 2020
- Regenerative medicine and war: The next breakthrough in treating injured veterans? - Genetic Literacy Project - September 29th, 2020
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) Market Primary Research, Secondary Research, Product Research, Trends And Forecast By 2026- Kite Pharma Inc., Thermo... - September 29th, 2020
- New research connects the hormones we're born with to lifetime risk for immunological diseases - MSUToday - September 20th, 2020
- School of Science grows by 10 - MIT News - September 10th, 2020
- COVID-19 Drug Discovery and Development Why Diverse Strategies Are Critical - Technology Networks - September 10th, 2020
- Researchers identify environmental components that affect gene expression in cardiovascular disease - The South End - June 21st, 2020
- Hesperos Human-on-a-Chip used to model Alzheimer's and MCI - SelectScience - June 2nd, 2020
- Are immune-compromised kids at greater risk from Covid-19? - Health24 - May 3rd, 2020
- Erika Hersch-Green Wins CAREER Award for Biodiversity Research - Michigan Tech News - May 2nd, 2020
- Science Becomes A Dividing Issue In Year Of Election And Pandemic - Michigan Radio - May 2nd, 2020
- In a CRISPR first, Editas therapy used to fix genes in the body - BioPharma Dive - March 11th, 2020
- Stopping Smoking Allows Healthy Lung Cells to Proliferate - Medscape - February 8th, 2020
- After a bone injury, shape-shifting cells rush to the rescue - University of Michigan News - January 29th, 2020
- Engineer the future of human health with a PhD in biomedical engineering - Study International News - January 29th, 2020
- The Unexpected Diversity of Pain - Scientific American - January 24th, 2020
- BREAKING: A woman gives birth to the Son of God (Part II) - INQUIRER.net - January 5th, 2020
- Collaborative Robots: Rai... - Robotics Online - December 19th, 2019
- VetStem Biopharma Shares the Success Story of Jesse Who was Treated with VetStem Cell Therapy - PR Web - December 8th, 2019
- Stem Cell Therapy Michigan | Regenerative Medicine 248-216 ... - February 27th, 2019
- Stem Cell Treatments Bloomfield Hills, MI | 248-216-1008 - January 9th, 2019
- Michigan Integrative Health Dr. Roy Picard, D.C. - December 27th, 2018
- Breast Cancer Stem Cells Stopping Them In Their Tracks ... - November 23rd, 2018
- Stem Cell Treatments MI | Michigan Center for Renerative ... - November 2nd, 2018
- Michigan Stem Cell Therapy - Foot HealthCare Associates - November 2nd, 2018
- Cancer Stem Cell Research | University of Michigan Rogel ... - November 2nd, 2018
- University of Michigan Stem Cell Research | Treatment and ... - November 2nd, 2018
- Detroit Michigan Stem Cell Therapy - americanregen.com - September 28th, 2018
- Combination of traditional chemotherapy, new drug kills ... - September 4th, 2018
- Stem Cells FAQ Michigan Stem Cell Institute - August 29th, 2018
- Anti-Aging, Regeneration and Stem Cell Supplements - August 7th, 2018
- Families raise money for research into rare diseases - KARE - September 8th, 2017
- Cells that stand in the way of HIV cure: Discovery expands understanding of marrow's role - Medical Xpress - August 5th, 2017
- Turmeric and black pepper fight cancer stem cells - November 26th, 2016
- Michigan company mines stem cells in search of Fountain of ... - November 18th, 2016
- stem cell research | Michigan Radio - October 6th, 2016
- Stem Cell Therapy Treatment at Allure Medical Spa in Michigan - October 6th, 2016
- University of Michigan Stem Cell Research | Experts List - September 20th, 2016
- Five years after Michigan vote on human embryonic stem ... - August 26th, 2016
- Scientists coax stem cells to form 3-D mini lungs ... - August 11th, 2016
- Cancer stem cells - University of Michigan Comprehensive ... - July 25th, 2016
- Michigan Catholic Conference: Home - October 19th, 2015
- Michigan Stem Cell Amendment, Proposal 2 (2008 ... - July 2nd, 2015
- University of Michigan Stem Cell Research | Embryo Donation - May 12th, 2015
- University of Michigan Stem Cell Research | Stem Cell ... - April 22nd, 2015
- How to grow a human lung - March 25th, 2015
- Novogen (NVGN) Promising Data in Brain Cancer; eFuture Information Technology (EFUT) and ... - March 5th, 2015
- Stem Cell Research - Right to Life of Michigan - February 24th, 2015
- Breast Cancer Stem Cell Research - University of Michigan ... - January 17th, 2015
- What makes pancreatic cancer so aggressive? New study sheds light - January 16th, 2015
- Leukemia Stem Cell Research | University of Michigan ... - January 4th, 2015
- Seeing Is Believing - December 12th, 2014
- Swiston receives Commitment to Education Award - November 29th, 2014
- Bone marrow registration drive to be held at Saint Mary's College - November 18th, 2014
- Researchers devise a means for growing near 2-D chemical gardens (w/ Video) - November 11th, 2014
- Stem cells help doctors restore womans smile, regenerating bone to hold dental implants - November 5th, 2014
- Reason to Bree-Lieve: Greenville girl continues to beat the odds - November 5th, 2014