A special operating system should allow scientists to get the cells to reprogram, so they can change their behavior. This should be the basis for synthetic orgaankweek and, eventually, the creation of new life.
Therefore, scientists from the University of Nottingham a grant of more than a million pounds. The bio-OS, on the basis of computer models that indicate how cells are reprogrammed, you have to give commands to a group of cells, which then adjust their behavior. This is necessary for the artificial development of organs. In the developed body to undergo groups of cells, which form the basis of specialized tissues, many specialisatiestappen with many chemical messengers are involved.
In five years, wants the research group that collaborates with a number of other universities, are able to with a computer model, a series of commands to indicate that behavioral change in bacteria can achieve. This is E. coli used, a darmbewoner in humans that is more for scientific research is used. Over time, it should grow organs from cells and maybe even make new life possible.
The scientists are not clear on how this biological operating system. It is plausible that, in particular, will work with chemical messengers, in place of genetic modification. The latter is much more time-consuming for a cell, and can therefore be more difficult directly a behavioral change happen. There will initially be focused on the creation of computer models that behavioral changes in cells ability to accurately predict.
Currently, cells are typically reprogrammed by them to convert into stem cells, and then the appropriate factors to bring the desired cell types develop. However, this is a very laborious process and requires a lot of labkweken, making cells with a simple command, their behavior may change. In addition, it is almost impossible to make complex shapes of tissues to develop, because many cells in different ways to let programming.
Scientists have recently developed techniques by which human embryonic stem cells made in the lab can be, instead of by obtain from discarded human embryos. It is possible to cultivate stem cells with a new technique about a hundred times more effective. Stem cells are popular, because they have the potential to specialize into all possible cell types. This can form the basis for cell therapies, making new, functional tissue from a patient can be created after damage. If there in the lab, organs are grown, it is plausible that there is started with a base of primitive cells, such as stem cells.
In 2006, a Japanese research group there for the first time in to stem cells to grow in the lab without an embryo as a source to use. In addition, four genes used for reprogramming of adult cells to stem cells, the so-called iPSC. This meant a revolution in stem cell research.