Scientists have managed to rejuvenate human skin cells by 30 years. This is according to a study by the Babraham Institute published in the journal eLife† “We have proven that cells can be rejuvenated without losing their function.”
Older skin cells were exposed to a mixture of chemicals during experiments that reprogrammed them. The cells then behaved more youthfully. The new cells produced more collagen proteins, which help heal wounds, compared to cells that didn’t undergo the reprogramming.
Therapeutic horizon
According to the researchers, the results of the experiments could lead to the development of techniques that can avert age-related diseases. This could lead to tackling or even curing diseases such as Alzheimer and cataracts.
“Our understanding of aging at the molecular level has advanced over the last decade. Techniques have now been developed that allow researchers to measure age-related biological changes in human cells,” said study researcher Dr Diljeet Gill. “We were able to apply this to our experiment to determine the degree of reprogramming that our new method achieved.”
“We have proven that cells can be rejuvenated without losing their function and that rejuvenation aims to restore some function to old cells. The fact that we also saw a reversal of aging indicators in genes associated with disease is particularly promising for the future of this work,” said Gill.
Professor Wolf Reik, who led the research team, says the findings have very exciting implications. “Eventually, we may be able to identify genes that rejuvenate without reprogramming cells, and target those genes specifically to reduce the effects of aging. This approach promises valuable discoveries that could open up amazing therapeutic horizons.”
IPS method
All very promising, but don’t expect to be able to immediately join a real rejuvenation cure. The technique used by the scientists is the iPS method. This is how stem cells are made. However, that method would not be safe and carry an increased risk of cancer.
Still, Professor Reik is confident that now that it is known that it is possible to rejuvenate cells, his team could find an alternative, safer method. “The long-term goal is not so much to extend lifespan as to extend human health, so that people can age in a healthier way,” he said. BBC.
One application of the technique could be to develop drugs to rejuvenate the skin in older people on areas of the body where they have been cut or burned.
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