Direct Reprogramming

A small molecule cocktail can induce the transformation of fibroblasts into rod photoreceptor-like cells with the potential to restore vision loss

The loss or damage of auditory neurons can lead to sensorineural hearing loss and deafness, and treatments such as amplification and cochlear implants rely on surviving neurons to convey auditory signals to the brain. Regeneration strategies that focus on endogenous cell therapy may permit the replacement of lost neurons to restore the auditory circuit.

Researchers describe how Insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐7 can prompt the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into osteoblasts that can form ectopic bone

Cell therapy in bone tissue engineering has considerable translational potential; however, the limited harvest of osteoblasts and mesenchymal stem cells, and a poor osteogenic potential of isolated patient fibroblasts constrain current approaches.

While previous reports demonstrated that human sensory neurons could be directly converted from primitive CD34+ hematopoietic cells, the small scale and derivation from less abundant allogenic sources of cord or drug mobilized peripheral blood represented problems.

To explore the role of proNGF, the precursor of nerve growth factor (NGF), on the biology of adult neural stem cells (NSCs), researchers from the labs of Antonino Cattaneo

Researchers refine a chemical cocktail to four small molecule drugs and define the signaling pathways vital for astrocytes-neuron conversion

A new study suggests that direct reprogramming from blood to brain can boost our understanding of how complex genetic alterations can influence neuro-related diseases and disorders

A new study suggests that directly reprogrammed Schwann cells boast a similar regenerative activity to primary Schwann cells derived from patients

New research finds that directly reprogrammed neurons grown on a 3D growth substrate may represent a new means so boost survival and functionality after transplantation into the brain