In a serendipitous discovery, scientists at The Scripps
Research Institute (TSRI) have found a way to turn bone marrow stem cells
directly into brain cells.
Current techniques for turning patients’ marrow cells into
cells of some other desired type are relatively cumbersome, risky and
effectively confined to the lab dish. The new finding points to the possibility
of simpler and safer techniques. Cell therapies derived from patients’ own
cells are widely expected to be useful in treating spinal cord injuries,
strokes and other conditions throughout the body, with little or no risk of
immune rejection.