Kyodo / Reuters
Kyoto University Professor Shinya Yamanaka (left) and John Gurdon of the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, England, at a symposium on induced pluripotent stem cells in Tokyo in April 2008
In a testament to the revolutionary potential of the field of regenerative medicine, in which scientists are able to create and replace any cells that are at fault in disease, the Nobel Prize committee on Monday awarded the 2012 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine to two researchers whose discoveries have made such cellular alchemy possible.
The prize went to John B. Gurdon of the University of Cambridge in England, who was among the first to clone an animal, a frog, in 1962, and to Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan who in 2006 discovered the four genes necessary to reprogram an adult cell back to an embryonic state.
Sir John Gurdon, who is now a professor at an institute that bears his name, earned the ridicule of many colleagues back in the 1960s when he set out on a series of experiments to show that the development of cells could be reversed. At the time, biologists knew that all cells in an embryo had the potential to become any cell in the body, but they believed that once a developmental path was set for each cell toward becoming part of the brain, or a nerve or muscle it could not be returned to its embryonic state. The thinking was that as a cell developed, it would either shed or silence the genes it no longer used, so that it would be impossible for a cell from an adult animal, for example, to return to its embryonic state and make other cells.
(MORE: Stem Cell Miracle? New Therapies May Cure Chronic Conditions Like Alzheimers)
Working with frogs, Gurdon proved his critics wrong, showing that some reprogramming could occur. Gurdon took the DNA from a mature frogs gut cell and inserted it into an egg cell. The resulting egg, when fertilized, developed into a normal tadpole, a strong indication that the genes of the gut cell were amenable to reprogramming; they had the ability to function as more than just an intestinal cell, and could give rise to any of the cells needed to create an entirely new frog.
Just as Gurdon was facing his critics in England, a young boy was born in Osaka, Japan, who would eventually take Gurdons finding to unthinkable extremes. Initially, Shinya Yamanaka would follow his fathers wishes and become an orthopedic surgeon, but he found himself ill-suited to the surgeons life. Intrigued more by the behind-the-scenes biological processes that make the body work, he found himself drawn to basic research, and began his career by trying to find a way to lower cholesterol production. That work also wasnt successful, but it drew him to the challenge of understanding what makes cells divide, proliferate and develop in specific ways.
In 2006, while at Kyoto University, Yamanaka stunned scientists by announcing he had successfully achieved what Gurdon had with the frog cells, but without using eggs at all. Yamanaka mixed four genes in with skin cells from adult mice and turned those cells back to an embryo-like state, essentially erasing their development and turning back their clock. The four genes reactivated other genes that are prolific in the early embryo, and turned off those that directed the cells to behave like skin.
(MORE: Ovary Stem Cells Can Produce New Human Eggs)
See more here:
Stem Cell Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine
- Molecular discovery has potential to solve the billion-dollar global cost of poorly managed wound healing - Medical Xpress - March 29th, 2024
- Science Saturday: A year of new directions and advancements for ... - March 29th, 2024
- Diverse ways regenerative medicine is advancing health care - March 29th, 2024
- Exosomes and Stem Cells Are the Future of Anti-Aging - NewBeauty Magazine - March 29th, 2024
- Global Organoids and Spheroids Market Set for Remarkable Growth, Reaching USD 7.70 Billion by 2034 with a CAGR ... - GlobeNewswire - March 29th, 2024
- Growth Projections for the Regenerative Medicine Market - BioProcess Insider - March 10th, 2024
- Regenerative Medicine - Cell Therapies - BioProcess Insider - March 10th, 2024
- Transitioning from traditional surgical methods to the innovative use of stem cells - pharmaphorum - March 10th, 2024
- Stem cell-based regenerative medicine - PMC - National Center for ... - February 27th, 2024
- Unlocking the Mysteries of the Hippo Pathway: A Leap Towards Conquering Cancer and Regenerating Tissues - Medriva - February 27th, 2024
- PRISM MarketView Spotlights BioStem Technologies in the Expanding Wound Care Market - Yahoo Finance - February 27th, 2024
- Therapeutic Solutions International Files Patent on "Facilitating Effects" of JadiCells on Gene Therapy Mediated Cell ... - Yahoo Finance - February 27th, 2024
- RION Expands Manufacturing Operations with Cutting-Edge Facility in Rochester, Minnesota - Yahoo Finance - February 27th, 2024
- Hands-On Solutions: Applying Prosthetic Sensory Technology In Rehabilitation - Forbes - February 27th, 2024
- UC Irvine Embarks on a Transformative Journey in Stem Cell Research with a $4 Million Boost - BNN Breaking - February 27th, 2024
- Less Surgery, More Recovery: Here is How Regenerative Medicine is Shaping the Future for Neurosurgeons - News Channel Nebraska - February 27th, 2024
- SPONSORED: Regen Rx Offers Both Non-Invasive Regenerative Medicine Procedures and Ultrasound-Guided ... - exploreClarion.com - February 27th, 2024
- ROSM Celebrates 10 Years of Advancing Patient Care Through Regenerative Medicine - goskagit.com - February 27th, 2024
- Expanding the Horizons of Cell and Gene Therapy - RegMedNet - February 27th, 2024
- Regenerative medicine | NIST - February 10th, 2024
- Home - Kansas Regenerative Medicine - February 10th, 2024
- Translational Regenerative Medicine market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 24.3% by 2034: Visiongain - Yahoo Finance - February 10th, 2024
- Cellular senescence is associated with osteonecrosis of the femoral head while mesenchymal stem cell conditioned ... - Nature.com - February 10th, 2024
- Top 3 grants in regenerative medicine: January 2024 - RegMedNet - February 10th, 2024
- Organogenesis Holdings Inc. to Report Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Results on February 29, 2024 - Yahoo Finance - February 10th, 2024
- Unlocking the power of stem cell therapy - Drug Target Review - February 10th, 2024
- Innovative stem cell therapy could be "game changer" in epilepsy - The Pharma Letter - February 10th, 2024
- Neurona lands $120m to advance regenerative cell therapy pipeline - Longevity.Technology - February 10th, 2024
- Neurona Therapeutics Raises $120M to Advance Groundbreaking Pipeline of Regenerative Cell Therapy Candidates ... - GlobeNewswire - February 10th, 2024
- Treating Joint Problems in the Modern Age: How Regenerative Medicine Paves the Way - Health shots - February 10th, 2024
- Cancer-related mutations appear in stem cell derivatives used in regenerative medicine, shows study - Phys.org - January 17th, 2024
- Researchers genetically modify stem cells to evade immunological rejection - University of Arizona - January 17th, 2024
- The Impact and Implications of Regenerative Medicine in Urology - Cureus - January 17th, 2024
- LVHN announces opening of new stem cell transplant center. Here's what that means for the Lehigh Valley - The Morning Call - January 17th, 2024
- Clinical applications of stem cell-derived exosomes | Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy - Nature.com - January 17th, 2024
- Therapeutic Solutions International Launches Adult Stem Cell Therapy Company Focused on Curing Epilepsy - Business Wire - January 17th, 2024
- Cell Therapy Technologies Market Projected to Reach Valuation of USD 47.3 Billion at 24.7% CAGR from 2024-2033 ... - GlobeNewswire - January 17th, 2024
- Cancer Mutations in 22% of Stem Cells: Concern for Regenerative Medicine - BNN Breaking - January 17th, 2024
- San Jose blood stem cell donor meets 15-year-old whose life he saved in Los Angeles - The Mercury News - May 17th, 2023
- Regenerative medicine: Current therapies and future directions - April 23rd, 2023
- What Is Regenerative Medicine? | Goals and Applications | ISCRM - April 23rd, 2023
- Important Patient and Consumer Information About Regenerative Medicine ... - April 23rd, 2023
- Regenerative medicine can be a boon for those with Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis - Hindustan Times - April 23rd, 2023
- About Regenerative Medicine - Center for Regenerative ... - Mayo Clinic - April 7th, 2023
- Regenerative Medicine | National Institutes of Health (NIH) - April 7th, 2023
- Porcine Vaccine Market is estimated to be US$ 4.41 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 7.50%during the forecast - EIN News - April 7th, 2023
- Advancing Safe and Effective Regenerative Medicine Products - March 21st, 2023
- Active Wound Care Market Rising demand for Skin Substitutes to boost the industry (2023-2033) | CAGR of 5.5% - EIN News - March 21st, 2023
- Veterinary Orthopedic Implants Market is estimated to be 421.3 Million by 2029 with a CAGR of 5.3% - By PMI - EIN News - March 21st, 2023
- ASKA Pharmaceutical : February 7 2023 EME and ASKA Announce Collaboration Agreement on Creating Novel PharmaLogical VHH to address an unmet medical... - February 8th, 2023
- A Look At Some Of The Companies Innovating In the Cutting-Edge Regenerative Medicine Field - Yahoo Finance - October 15th, 2022
- The Switch to Regenerative Medicine - Dermatology Times - October 15th, 2022
- The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Announces Election of 2023 Officers, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors - GlobeNewswire - October 15th, 2022
- Mathematical model could bring us closer to effective stem cell therapies - Michigan Medicine - October 15th, 2022
- 'We have to find a way': FDA seeks solutions to aid bespoke gene therapy - BioPharma Dive - October 15th, 2022
- American Academy of Stem Cell Physicians to Offer Licensed Physicians Board Examination in Regenerative Medicine - GlobeNewswire - October 15th, 2022
- Discover Medical Advances in Cellular Therapy Research Using Cord Blood for Cancer, HIV, Cerebral Palsy and Autism During World Cord Blood Day 2022 -... - October 15th, 2022
- The Risk-Reward Proposition for CGT Clinical Trials - Applied Clinical Trials Online - October 15th, 2022
- Cell therapy weekly: Ray Therapeutics and Forge Biologics expand partnership - RegMedNet - October 15th, 2022
- FDA Expands Oversight of Cell and Gene Therapies - Pharmaceutical Technology Magazine - October 15th, 2022
- Frequency Therapeutics Completes Enrollment of Phase 2b Study of FX-322 for the Treatment of Sensorineural Hearing Loss - Business Wire - October 15th, 2022
- The Health Benefits Of Sea Moss, According To Experts - Forbes - October 15th, 2022
- ProKidney Announces Multiple Abstracts Selected for Presentation at the American Society of ... - The Bakersfield Californian - October 15th, 2022
- Pain Management & Regenerative Medicine Specialists DFW - September 4th, 2022
- Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine - National Institute of ... - September 4th, 2022
- First U.S. patient receives autologous stem cell therapy to treat dry AMD - National Institutes of Health (.gov) - September 4th, 2022
- International Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research and Therapeutic Center in Egypt - Construction Review - September 4th, 2022
- Regenerative Medicine Market to Garner Bursting Revenues [+USD 27.29 Billion] with Top Growing Companies During 2022-2029 - eTurboNews | eTN - September 4th, 2022
- Immusoft Takes First-Ever Engineered B Cell Therapy into Clinic - BioSpace - September 4th, 2022
- Addressing Diversity Barriers to Regenerative Medicine Free Press of Jacksonville - Jacksonville Free Press - September 4th, 2022
- TikoMed's ILB mobilizes and modulates key growth factors that trigger a cascade of neuroprotective mechanisms able to target all... - September 4th, 2022
- Frequency Therapeutics to Participate in September Investor and Medical Conferences - Business Wire - September 4th, 2022
- Can the immortal jellyfish teach us how to reverse aging? - Earth.com - September 4th, 2022
- Applied StemCell Announces the Expansion of its cGMP Manufacturing Facility to Support Cell and Gene Therapy - Business Wire - September 4th, 2022
- Omega Therapeutics Announces Appointment of Rainer Boehm to its Board of Directors - PR Newswire - September 4th, 2022
- Rise In Number Of CROS In Various Regions Such As Europe Is Expected To Fuel The Growth Of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Market At An Impressive CAGR... - September 4th, 2022
- Regenerative Medicine Partnering 2015 to 2022: Terms and Agreements Entered Into by the Leading Companies Worldwide - ResearchAndMarkets.com -... - August 19th, 2022
- Pain Relief Treatments: The Benefits of Regenerative Medicine From Head to Toe - 30Seconds.com - August 19th, 2022
- FDA Issues Draft Guidance to Facilitate Development of Human Gene Therapy, CAR T Cell, and Regenerative Medicine Products - Wilson Sonsini Goodrich... - August 19th, 2022
- Marco Quarta to present at the 9th Aging Research & Drug Discovery Meeting 2022 - EurekAlert - August 19th, 2022