The success that from human skin cells, making the cells with the characteristics of cartilage cells.

Tsumaki team of professors from Kyoto iPS Cell Research and success that from human skin cells , making the cells with the characteristics of the cartilage cells , has announced the 17th to the U.S. online science journal Purosuwan . (IPS ) cells made ​​from skin cells such as induced pluripotent stem cells have the ability to become a variety of tissues and cells . Introducing the gene into the cells of the skin without going through iPS cells , method to produce direct other cells called " direct reprogramming " this time . It is expected that manufacture period is short , and useful for the treatment of cartilage modified with illness or injury .Team , introduced to the skin cells of newborn with a virus the three genes required necessary to iPS cell production " c-MYC " and " KLF4 " , to differentiate into cartilage cells " SOX9 " . Cells with the characteristics of cartilage cells within two weeks could be . Cartilage tissue is formed and the cells transplanted into the body of mice tumors were observed .Take to make the cells as needed for transplantation in about two months , and almost half when passing through the iPS cells. I guess will have some significance in that cell that was made without going through iPS cells . Please complete the further research in order to help cartilage treatment .


ヒトの皮膚細胞から、軟骨細胞の特徴を持つ細胞を作製することに京都大ｉＰＳ細胞研究所の妻木教授らのチームが成功、米オンライン科学誌プロスワンに１７日発表した。さまざまな組織や細胞になる能力がある人工多能性幹細胞（ｉＰＳ細胞）は皮膚などの細胞から作る。今回はｉＰＳ細胞を経ず皮膚の細胞に遺伝子を導入、別の細胞を直接作製する「ダイレクト・リプログラミング」という手法。作製期間が短く、病気やけがで変性した軟骨治療に役立つと期待される。
　チームは、ｉＰＳ細胞作製に必要な「ｃ－ＭＹＣ」「ＫＬＦ４」と、軟骨細胞に分化するのに必要な「ＳＯＸ９」の三つの遺伝子をウイルスを使って新生児の皮膚細胞に導入。２週間以内に軟骨細胞の特徴を持つ細胞ができた。マウスの体内にこの細胞を移植すると軟骨組織が形成され、腫瘍は見られなかった。
　移植に必要なだけの細胞を作るのにかかるのは約２カ月で、ｉＰＳ細胞を経た場合のほぼ半分という。ｉＰＳ細胞を経ずに細胞が作られたということに意義があるんでしょうかね。軟骨治療に役立つべく更なる研究を進めてください。