Magnupall Cell Maker Chinese Scientist: The Nobel Prize? It's very like

U.Sand Japanese researchers published a paper on the 20th, announced the successful transformation of human skin cells into embryonic stem cells similar to the "universal cells", the academic community described this breakthrough as a "milestone" in biological scienceLeading the U.Sresearch team to create "universal cells" is a Chinese - Zhejiang-born female scientist Yan JunyingLast night, in an interview with this newspaper, Yin Junying said that the technology has found a new beginning in stem cell research, may win the Nobel PrizeThe research has been the subject of three main reasons, she said, of the research,
, Yu Junying, who has been transforming human skin cells into stem cells since 2005"First of all, stem cell research has been controversialBecause the use of previous technical means to extract stem cells will destroy the embryo, and human embryo cloning technology also caused ethical controversyThis debate can be avoided if human skin cells are returned to the original stem cellsSecond, if cells extracted from the patient's body can be transformed into stem cells, which function like embryonic cloning technology, can eventually be grown into human tissue or organs, which can become a donor for organ transplantationThird, this stem cell could be the best test for drug testingEach patient's genetic background is different, the cells extracted from the patient's own have been modified to become stem cells, can accurately measure the effect of the drug on the patient"
had the original vision, but also the appropriate technical meansThe way to make stem cells by transforming skin cells was something she thought of when she did the previous project, "I think if there's going to be a breakthrough in stem cell research, it's going to start from the perspective of transforming other cells," said MrYu"
small accident drag "time race"Yu Junying did not think that when she began to make "universal cells", a group of Japanese scientists began the same researchA team led by Professor Yamanaka Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan published a similar report in the journal Cell, as the James Thomson Laboratory of the University of Wisconsin, where he is based, published the study in the journal ScienceThe two groups have similar methods and principlesYamanaka's team extracted skin cells from the face of a 36-year-oldwoman, which scientists called fibroblastsThe skin cells in James Thomson's lab come from a newborn baby's penis foreskinNie Junying said she knew in 2006 that a Japanese counterpart was also doing the researchBut just as the two research groups were secretly running a "race of time", MrYin's team had a flaw"We have a stem cell culture machine in our lab, " said Junying" "This accident prevented the use of previously cultivated stem cells, which led directly to the publication of the results of the study was delayed Asked by reporters if it would be possible for her team to be one step ahead of the report if there had been an accident, she said: "It is possible to publish the report a few months earlier than the Japanese side, but who is right to study the matter?" Perhaps the Japanese research team had a similar accident "
will soon be used in drug testing
said James Thomson, director of James Thomson Labs, referring to the prospect of developing "universal cells" technology Thousands of laboratories in the United States will do it almost tomorrow "
is the breakthrough, dubbed the equivalent of the Wright brothers' first aircraft, really so easy to do?" Mr Yin explained that Thomson's term "easy" refers to the use of such "universal cells" for drug testing Since drug testing is not too high on the cells tested and the corresponding technical means, "as long as there are molecular research equipment laboratory can be carried out, which also means that this technology can soon enter the general clinic, can be applied to real life." "
and it's not that easy to grow human tissue or organs through "universal cells." 'There are companies that are ready to use "universal cells" to grow human heart , because heart disease is a common disease , people are interested in any cure for heart disease "But if I do this, I think it's going to start with the blood-breeding." Human organs are made up of a variety of cells, more complex, and the blood cell composition is relatively simple, blood transfusion is also a very common and mature technology, the first to cultivate blood is a step-by-step way "
to replace cloning is still some time from somatic cells to stem cells after the technical results of the publication, some scientists believe that embryonic cell cloning technology may be down the historical stage Even Ian Wilmert, the British scientist who was the world's first cloned sheep, announced a few days ago that he had decided to abandon the embryo cell cloning technique that "created" Dolly sheep and switch to somatic cells for "direct transformation" However, The technology is not yet a complete substitute for embryonic cell cloning because of the potential side effects of its current experimental approach, Mr Yu said Since the current method of modification is the use of retroviruses to transform skin cells, the virus may cause genetic mutations, causing tumors and other side effects Therefore, "universal cells" cannot be used in clinical applications such as organ transplantation until this potential risk can be overcome She will then try other conversion methods in the hope of creating a virus-free "universal cell" that would make the same "universal cells" as embryonic stem cells in the early stages of human life, she said The results of the research that stand the appraisal Since the South Korean scholar Hwang Hyun-sik's "research results" in stem cell research were confirmed to be false, people have a more cautious attitude towards scientific research results In the face of the reporter's "results have been identified" question, Yin Junying appears very confident " We can accept the identification, " said Junying, "there are laboratories asked us to create 'universal cells' for DNA identification, because the skin cells we use to transform are bought from specialized companies, have relevant data and DNA information, other laboratories can judge the authenticity." However, so far, the results of the study have not been identified added that since the two U.S and Japanese teams published similar studies at the same time, proving that the technology is not a "night of heaven", the industry has expressed confidence in this, there is no voice of suspicion She says her research will be a new beginning in stem cell research, and many laboratories will be able to build on it to make more ground-breaking research Hearing the reporter ask, "Is there any hope of winning the Nobel Prize?", He laughed, "If technology proves to be a success, it is possible to win the Nobel Prize, ha ha, but who knows?" "
colleagues reflect that Chinese proud
and Yan Junying, a Chinese scientist who works with Yu Junying at James Thomson's laboratory, told this newspaper by email this morning that as a stem cell researcher, he thought the results of transforming somatic cells into "universal cells" were a greatChineseChinese achievement In the past, people could only get embryonic stem cells in two ways -- either destroying embryos or cloning them, Pan said Now, scientists know that ordinary cells can also be converted into stem cells, which is very exciting "It is often thought that such a reversal is impossible, but now the technology has proved feasible! All the biologists opened a new door , however, Mr Pan said it could take years or even decades to apply the technology clinically, "but now it's only the first step, but science is usually faster than we think." Let's wait and see "
Yan Junying Profile
Origin: Zhejiang , China: Ph.D.
Graduate College: Peking University Study Abroad: 1997 Study Abroad: University of Pennsylvania Graduation Time: 2003
Current work unit: Thomson Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison position: Assistant Scientist
20, the White House issued a statement on the study, saying, "This is a significant advance in ethical research." This time the technology of 'direct transformation" of human skin cells crosses ethical barriers, bringing the dream of producing artificial human organs in the laboratory one step closer President Bush is pleased with that, too Ian Wilmert, a British scientist who the world's first cloned sheep, said in a statement: "We can now envision a new era - making stem cells in a simple way, and producing any tissue organ from any tissue specimen on a human body." "A few days ago, Wilmert announced that he was abandoning research on human embryonic stem cell cloning in favor of "universal cells." "This study is a remarkable scientific milestone," said Robert Lanza, an American scientist working on human embryo cloning Biologically, it's the first plane built by the Wright brothers "
It means that 73 breakthroughs in adult stem cell and cord blood stem cell research can end there, and there are no breakthroughs in embryonic stem cell research," said Fred Thompson, a former State senator from Tennessee who has long opposed stem cell research Wendy Wright, president of the American Women's League, said : "Science and ethics are back together, and ethical approaches are always the most healthy , and that's the scientific choice." This technological breakthrough allows scientists to continue their in-depth research, promote medical development, while respecting sacred life Proponents of embryonic stem cell research also acknowledge the benefits of "direct lying" technology, but some insist that both technologies should be studied simultaneously Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, who has been pushing for government funding for embryonic stem cell research, said he would continue to do so (Yang Meiping)