C10865: Novel method to reprogram blood cells to pluripotent and multipotent stem cellsValue Proposition: JHU scientists have developed a method to reprogram human CB, adult bone marrow and peripheral blood cells from healthy donors without any pretreatment to pluripotent and multipotent stem cells.
• This novel method uses easily accessible blood cells that are less exposed to environmental mutagens.
• Provides a novel and prospective model to study bone marrow disorders.
• An opportunity to generate personalized stem cells.
Technical Details:
Stem cell therapy has the potential to dramatically change the treatment of human disease. It has been recently reported that mouse or human somatic cells from fetal and postnatal sources can be “re-programmed” back to a pluripotent state resembling embryonic stem (ES) cells. These ES-like, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have been achieved by various methods. It is highly desirable to reprogram blood cells that are easily accessible. For example, umbilical cord and placenta blood (collectively called CB hereafter) cells that are collected and stored in multiple cell banks could be used as a source of histo-compatible iPS cell lines. The ability to reprogram blood cells is essential to generate iPS cells containing somatic mutations that are restricted to the blood cells and found in acquired hematological disorders in order to investigate their pathogenesis.
Looking for Partners:
• Novel bioactive molecules for reprogramming of adult blood cells to pluripotent and multipotent stem cells.
• Potential application of these human-induced pluripotent stem cells to treat bone marrow disorders.
Publications/Associated Cases:
Ye Z. et al (2009) Human-induced pluripotent stem cells from blood cells of healthy donors and patients with acquired blood disorders. Blood. 114(27):5473-5480.
