Regenerative chemical turns muscle cells into stem cells

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Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a synthetic molecule called reversine that can induce dedifferentiation in cells. This process allows cells, particularly those programmed to become muscle cells, to revert to a precursor state, making them multipotent and capable of developing into various cell types. This finding suggests that reversine could be a valuable tool for generating an unlimited supply of precursor cells, which can then be transformed into specialized cells like bone or cartilage. Additionally, there is a noted ability of certain blood cells to transform into brain cells, highlighting the potential for cellular plasticity in regenerative medicine.
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found an interesting article on new stem cell research:

"La Jolla, CA. December 22, 2003—A group of researchers from The Scripps Research Institute has identified a small synthetic molecule that can induce a cell to undergo dedifferentiation—to move backwards developmentally from its current state to form its own precursor cell.

This compound, named reversine, causes cells which are normally programmed to form muscles to undergo reverse differentiation—retreat along their differentiation pathway and turn into precursor cells. These precursor cells are multipotent; that is, they have the potential to become different cell types. Thus, reversine represents a potentially useful tool for generating unlimited supply of such precursors, which subsequently can be converted to other cell types, such as bone or cartilage."

full article from Scripps Research Institute:
http://www.scripps.edu/news/press/122203.html
 
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That's interesting, it is also known that some bloodcells are able to transform into braincells..
 
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