Stem cell discovery sheds light on placenta d...( GAINESVILLE Fla. Researchers studyi...),Health
GAINESVILLE, Fla. Researchers studying embryonic stem cells have explored the first fork in the developmental road, getting a new look at what happens when fertilized eggs differentiate to build either an embryo or a placenta.
By manipulating a specific gene in a mouse blastocyst the structure that develops from a fertilized egg but is not yet an actual embryo scientists with the University of Florida's McKnight Brain Institute and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute caused cells destined to build an embryo to instead change direction and build the cell mass that leads to the placenta.
Writing in today's (Monday, June 9) online edition of Nature Genetics, the scientists reveal a cellular signaling mechanism in place at the earliest developmental stage.
Understanding the conditions that cause these cells to go off to different fates may have a bearing on health problems such as ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when the embryo develops outside of the womb in about 1 of 60 pregnancies, or molar pregnancy, which is abnormal tissue growth within the uterus that affects about 1 in every 1,000 pregnancies.
"We originally were exploring factors that might cause embryonic stem cells to become malignant there is a concern that these cells may cause tumors," said Chi-Wei Lu, Ph.D., an associate neuroscientist at the UF College of Medicine and lead author of the study. "Our experiments led us to discover the signal that initiates the process of embryonic tissue differentiation."
By activating a gene called Ras in cells bathed in a very specific culture medium, scientists were able to cause embryonic stem cells which originate from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst to become more like the trophoblastic stem cells that give rise to the placenta from the outer portion of the blastocyst.
Researchers marked these newly minted cells, which they called ES-TS cells, and injected them into mouse embryos. Instead of j
'/>"/>
| Contact: John Pastor jdpastor@ufl.edu 352-273-5815 University of Florida Source:Eurekalert |
Related medicine news :
1. Discovery of sugar sensor in intestine could benefit diabetes
2. Discovery suggests location of genes for breast density, a strong risk factor for breast cancer
3. Stem cell research produces a key discovery for Fragile X Syndrome
4. Welch Foundation gives $1.6 million for drug discovery research
5. New discovery leaves blood-doping athletes scratching their heads
6. Chemical Diversity Initiates International Prostrate Cancer Discovery Partnership
7. New discovery leaves blood-doping athletes scratching their heads
8. Discovery of widespread tumor growth gene holds promise for effective anti-cancer treatment
9. Discovery supports theory of Alzheimers disease as form of diabetes
10. Discovery Health CME Explores the Benefits and Risks of Aspirin in Aspirin Therapy: Maximizing the Benefits
11. New discovery may improve treatment of one of the worlds leading causes of blindness
| Copyright © 2003-2009 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |