In the study, led by Kevin Eggan, of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, skin cells taken from a patient with a familial form of ALS were induced to become pluripotent stem cells. Scientists then differentiated the pluripotent cells into motor neurons and glia (support cells in the brain) that featured an ALS genotype.
"This is a seminal discovery," said Valerie Estess, director of research for Project ALS
"The ability to derive ALS motor neurons through a simple skin biopsy opens the doors to improved drug discovery. For the first time, researchers will be able to look at ALS cells under a microscope and see why they die. If we can figure out how a person's motor neurons die, we will figure out how to save motor neurons."
Starting in 1999, Project ALS recruited leading scientists and clinicians to define the potential role of stem cells in understanding and treating ALS, the fatal neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Project ALS-funded scientists began by transplanting stem cells directly into mice with ALS, with limited success. More recent experiments have shown that stem cells may be more valuable as tools to understand the disease process and create mini-representations of disease — or assays — for the purpose of drug screening.
Patient specific motor neurons created in the Eggan laboratory. Image courtesy of John Dimos/Eggan Lab at HSCI.
"For the first time, we have the opportunity to examine cellular and molecular defects in motor neurons and glial cells derived from patients with ALS. And we can now begin drug screens on disease-specific classes of human motor neurons," said Thomas Jessell, a Howard Hughes Investigator at Columbia University, and Project ALS advisor. "Through the work of the Jenifer Estess Laboratory for Stem Cell Research we now can glimpse the new age of ALS research, an age of progress and promise." Co-author on the paper, Christopher Henderson, who is co-director of the Columbia University Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, and senior scientific advisor to the Project ALS Laboratory, said: "It has been a privilege to collaborate with Kevin Eggan and his team and to contribute to this critical step forward. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with Harvard researchers and Project ALS to exploit the potential of these cells for drug screening". Three years ago, Project ALS asked Dr. Eggan, a stem cell expert, and Chris Henderson, Hynek Wichterle, as authorities on motor neuron biology and drug screening at Columbia University, to work together to understand ALS, one of our most complicated and devastating neurological disorders. Today's publication marks the first major breakthrough of this collaboration. About Project ALS: Project ALS is a non-profit 501©3 whose mission is to understand, treat, and cure ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The hallmark of the company's approach is collaboration between researchers and clinicians, many of whom have not focused on ALS specifically, or worked together before. In ten years, Project ALS has raised over $37 million for research worldwide. Located in New York, the Project ALS/Jenifer Estess Laboratory for Stem Cell is the world's only privately funded laboratory to focus exclusively on stem cell and ALS. The laboratory was named for Project ALS founder Jenifer Estess, who died from ALS in 2003. See also: Neurons created from skin cells of elderly patients with ALS HSCI – July 31, 2008 Harvard-Columbia team creates neurons from ALS patient's skin cells Eurekalert! – July 31, 2008 NY Stem Cell Foundation plays critical funding role in major new ALS research announced today Eurekalert! – July 31, 2008 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Generated from Patients with ALS Can Be Differentiated into Motor Neurons John T. Dimos, Kit T. Rodolfa, Kathy K. Niakan, Laurin M. Weisenthal, Hiroshi Mitsumoto, Wendy Chung, Gist F. Croft, Genevieve Saphier, Rudy Leibel, Robin Goland, Hynek Wichterle, Christopher E. Henderson, Kevin Eggan Science July 31, 2008, DOI: 10.1126/science.1158799 ......... ZenMaster
For more on stem cells and cloning, go to CellNEWS at http://cellnews-blog.blogspot.com/ and http://www.geocities.com/giantfideli/index.html
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