A team of researchers at the University of Toronto has made a significant discovery regarding cellular reprogramming. The team found that a group of neural crest stem cells, located in the skin and other parts of the body, are the source of reprogrammed neurons previously thought to be induced by transcription factors in mature cells. This finding challenges the popular theory that any developed cell can be reprogrammed into an unrelated cell type. The team proposes an alternative theory that suggests there is a rare stem cell type with the unique ability to be reprogrammed into various cell types, explaining why reprogramming is often an inefficient process.
Neural crest cells, which are genetically predisposed to develop into neurons, are found beneath the hair follicle in the skin. These cells originate from the ectodermal germ layer during embryonic development, which is also where many other cell types in the skin come from. The researchers were motivated to conduct this study by their curiosity about how experimental data from cellular reprogramming research is interpreted. They questioned the flexibility of a cell’s identity and hypothesized that cellular reprogramming can only occur from a stem cell to a mature cell within the same germ layer, rather than directly switching between different layers with distinct developmental histories.
The team’s findings suggest that claims about direct reprogramming may be overstated or based on inaccurate interpretations of data. They aim to show that a cell’s identity is more defined and stable than previously believed in the field of cellular reprogramming. The researchers discovered that neural crest stem cells found in the skin are actually derived from the brain, and their ability to be reprogrammed into various cell types makes them a promising candidate for stem cell transplantation to treat diseases. These stem cells, which are present in various tissues throughout the body, have the potential to be a valuable tool for studying the true capabilities of cell reprogramming.
Neural crest stem cells are relatively rare but are distributed widely throughout the body, including in the skin, bone, and connective tissue. Their accessibility in the skin for collection, along with their ability to be reprogrammed into multiple cell types, make them an attractive option for further research on stem cell transplantation and disease treatment. The researchers believe that the unique properties of these stem cells have gone unnoticed by others studying cellular reprogramming, and their discovery sheds light on the potential of these cells for understanding the true extent of cell reprogramming capabilities. The study was supported by various research institutions, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Krembil Foundation, and Medicine by Design.