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Chip Reprograms Cells To Regenerate Damaged Tissue (scientificamerican.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Scientific American about a device that delivers infusions of DNA and other molecules to restore injured limbs in mice, and maybe someday, humans: Cells are typically reprogrammed using mixtures of DNA, RNA and proteins. The most popular method uses viruses as a delivery vehicle -- although they can infect unintended cells, provoke immune responses and even turn cells cancerous. One alternative, called bulk electroporation, exposes cells to an electric field that pokes holes in their membranes to let in genetic material and proteins. Yet this method can stress or kill them. Tissue nanotransfection, described in a study published in August in Nature Nanotechnology, involves a chip containing an array of tiny channels that apply electric fields to individual cells. "You affect only a small area of the cell surface, compared with the conventional method, which upsets the entire cell," says study co-author James Lee, a chemical and biomolecular engineer at The Ohio State University. "Essentially we create a tiny hole and inject DNA right into the cell, so we can control the dosage."
Chandan Sen, a physiologist at Ohio State, and his colleagues developed a genetic cocktail that rapidly converts skin cells into endothelial cells -- the main component of blood vessels. They then used their technique on mice whose legs had been damaged by a severed artery that cut off blood supply. New blood vessels formed, blood flow increased, and after three weeks the legs had completely healed.
Chandan Sen, a physiologist at Ohio State, and his colleagues developed a genetic cocktail that rapidly converts skin cells into endothelial cells -- the main component of blood vessels. They then used their technique on mice whose legs had been damaged by a severed artery that cut off blood supply. New blood vessels formed, blood flow increased, and after three weeks the legs had completely healed.
it's an Andy Kaufman weekend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Not exactly news, then ...
"If it's news to us, it's news to you."
If so I'll be happy.
Caution: Contents under pressure
[...] rapidly converts skin cells into endothelial cells -- the main component of blood vessels. [...] The transformed cells also appeared to secrete reprogramming materials in extracellular vesicles (EVs) that targeted deeper tissue. Injecting mice with EVs harvested from the skin of other treated mice was as effective as using the chip itself.
What could possibly go wrong with something that aggressively transforms skin cells into blood vessels, which then secrete stuff to do even more of that to even more cells, and can be transferred from organism to organism?
The team hopes to begin human trials within a year. “Considering what could be done,” Sen says, “this could be transformative.”
You don't say.
I'll pass on the skinless Cronenberg vein-people apocalypse, thanks.
I observed:
Not exactly news, then ...
prompting code_monkey_steve to respond:
"If it's news to us, it's news to you."
The thing is, though, I read this story on Phys.org back in (wait for it) August.
So, it's not exactly news - to me ...
Check out my novel.
Hey guys, it sure would have been nice to publish in an open access journal so that someone outside of a university might be able to read about your work.
Rant: Talk to us when you CAN do human limbs. I have seen so many promises of everything from: Fuel that makes itself without any sun, full spectrum solar cells, human replacement and repair with DNA, etc,, Most of them end up getting bought and locked up by affluent people or corporations. It's like it's not even worth reading them anymore, because the pubic keeps on ending up getting nothing but the dog crap end of the stick.
Every time I read about something like this... I don't care if we get medical advances from it, I wouldn't hurt these animals even if it were my job to do so.
our new mouse wolverine overlord!