We discovered the fetus’s “skin formation map” Aiming to use it to develop anti-aging technology – BBC News Thailand

An international team of scientists Discover a new technique that helps delay the aging of the skin all over the body. By using knowledge from the study of natural processes. While the embryo in the mother’s womb begins to form skin from stem cells.

New ways to delay aging and repair damaged skin This is the latest work of the project. “The Human Cell Atlas (HCA)” was recently published in the journal Nature The project is headquartered at the Wellcome Sanger Institute at the University of Cambridge

Professor Muslifa Haniffa, one of the leaders of the research team, said: New knowledge for creating human skin and organs from stem cells. It will help doctors to treat diseases more effectively. It helps people to stay healthy even in old age. Or even help with aging to make us look younger and younger for longer.

“If we can control the process of the creation and development of skin cells so that they age, wrinkles will be reduced,” said Prof. Haniffa. “If we understand that How cells move from primary growth to adulthood?We start looking for ways to revive organs, such as making the heart stronger with a shorter biological life again until he looks radiant and young like before.”

The Human Cell Mapping Project has been conducting biological research for several years now. To understand the process of creation and growth of cells in different organs of people from the time they are still an embryo in the mother’s womb.

When the egg cell is first fertilized and begins to divide, all the cells of the embryo remain the same. But after just 3 weeks, some genetic units, or genes, within the stem cells are switched on and start working. By passing on a set of instructions that determine how each group of cells will develop into tissues and organs in different parts of the body these cell groups will have different shapes, properties and roles .

Recently, the research team of the Human Cell Mapping Project was able to confirm that Which genes are turned on at what time and under what conditions? So that stem cells change and form the structure of our largest organs. This is the skin that protects internal organs from the external environment.

Scientists use high magnification microscopes. Observe the growth of the stained cells. While changes are taking place in different parts of the skin, the small bright yellow dots are the melanin production genes that determine a person’s skin color when they are activated. As for the genes that create the upper layer of the skin, many orange spots can be seen. They also found that other genes responsible for the production of hair follicles and sweat glands in the skin were also switched on.

A larger image showing the function of that gene. This allowed the research team to know the details of the instruction set. which determines the process of creation and development of human skin. From the beginning in the womb to the period of postnatal growth and to adolescence and adulthood. This new knowledge will lead to many opportunities and advances in the medical field. such as repairing damaged skin

Before that, the medical community had known for a long time that the embryo’s skin can repair itself without scarring. Therefore, if we know the information about the set of instructions that control this natural process and it can be repeated in the laboratory, scientists will finally find a way to regenerate the skin of adults and the elderly. – renewal It can be applied in surgery.

One thing that was discovered in this latest research is that immune cells play an important role in the formation of blood vessels in the skin. Later, the research team said the above process can be successfully repeated in the laboratory. It uses chemicals to switch several genes on or off at the right time. Until it becomes possible to grow artificial skin from stem cells Recently, a small lump of artificial skin in this test dish It also grows until it has its own follicles and hair grows out of it.

said Prof. Haniffa The project intends to continue developing this new method of skin reconstruction until it is achieved. “If you knew how to make human skin, We can use this method for tissue transplantation. or used for patients whose skin has been damaged by burns Another good example of taking advantage of that procedure. is to create new hair follicles to grow hair in bald people.”

In addition, artificial skin grew from such cells It can also be used for additional research studies. To find a cure for inherited skin diseases Including use to test drugs and various cosmeceutical products.

The Human Cell Mapping Project has now studied more than 100 million cells from various organs over the past eight years. Currently, they are rushing to produce maps of liver, kidney and heart cells as their next task. It is expected that the project will continue to reveal the details of genetic instructions in different cells.

Prof. Sarah Teichmann from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom One of the co-founders of the human cell mapping project. He said that in the future there will be a collection of cell maps of each organ. “It was so exciting and amazing. Because this project will give us new knowledge in physiology and anatomy. It also makes us understand people better. It forces us to review the content of academic textbooks, especially in the field of materials and organs. Including his method.