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Pee-Brain
01 January 2013

Pee-Brain

When we’re born we have the potential to become anything from an astronaut to a zookeeper, but as we grow up our options narrow. The same is true of cells, with stem cells representing that time in our life when anything is possible. A stem cell can transform into any cell the body requires (such as neurons, pictured) - a trait that scientists are keen to harness to treat disease. The adult human body doesn’t have an ample supply of stem cells, so efforts are underway to convert mature, specialised cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Scientists have already succeeded using viral DNA that wheedles itself into the mature cell’s genome to reprogramme it. Now a potentially safer way has been developed. Cells from urine were infected with bacterial DNA, which didn’t disrupt the cells’ genome but still converted them into iPS cells. These were then nurtured into neurons.

Written by Lux Fatimathas

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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