The self-eating process in embryonic stem cells known as chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) and a related metabolite may serve as promising new therapeutic targets to repair or regenerate damaged cells and organs,Penn Medicineresearchers show in a new study published online inScience.<\/p>\n
Human bodies contain more than 200 different types of specialized cells. All of them can be derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells, which relentlessly self-renew while retaining the ability to differentiate into any cell type in adult animals, a state known as pluripotency. Researchers have known that the cells metabolism plays a role in this process; however, it wasnt clear exactly how the cells internal wiring works to keep that state and ultimately decide stem cell fate.<\/p>\n
The new preclinical study, for the first time, shows how the stem cells keeps CMA at low levels to promote that self-renewal, and when the stem cell is ready, it switches that suppression off to enhance CMA, among other activities, and differentiate into specialized cells.<\/p>\n
Its an intriguing discovery in the field of stem cell biology and for researchers looking to develop therapies for tissue or organ regeneration, says senior authorXiaolu Yang, a professor of cancer biology at the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute in the Perelman School of Medicine. We reveal two novel ways to potentially manipulate the self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells: CMA and a metabolite, known as alpha-ketoglutarate, that is regulated by CMA. Rationally intervening or guiding these functions could be a powerful way to increase the efficiency of regenerative medicine approaches.<\/p>\n
This story is by Melissa Moody. Read more at Penn Medicine News.<\/p>\n
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'Self-eating' stem cell process may be the key to new regenerative therapies - Penn Today<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The self-eating process in embryonic stem cells known as chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) and a related metabolite may serve as promising new therapeutic targets to repair or regenerate damaged cells and organs,Penn Medicineresearchers show in a new study published online inScience. Human bodies contain more than 200 different types of specialized cells. All of them can be derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells, which relentlessly self-renew while retaining the ability to differentiate into any cell type in adult animals, a state known as pluripotency. Continue reading