Revolutionary breakthrough: human totipotent stem cells

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shenzhen BGI Life Science Institute and other institutions used somatic cell induction technology to induce and culture human totipotent stem cells similar to fertilized eggs for 3 days

This is another subversive breakthrough in the field of regenerative medicine after scientists successfully induced human pluripotent stem cells

The relevant research results were published in the top international academic journal "Nature" in the early morning of March 21

Researchers have developed a non-transgenic, rapid and controllable cell reprogramming "cocktail" method that can transform human pluripotent stem cells into totipotent 8-cell stage embryo-like cells, equivalent to the state of totipotent stem cells in a fertilized egg for 3 days

This achievement will help realize the in vitro regeneration of human organs in the future, which is of great significance for solving problems such as organ shortage, allogeneic and xenograft rejection

In 2012, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Shinya Yamanaka, a Japanese scientist who successfully induced mature somatic cells into blastocyst-stage pluripotent stem cells

The research takes the field a big step forward, producing the first embryonic cells from fertilized eggs that divide for only three days

It was during these 2-3 days that scientists obtained human 8-cell stage embryo-like totipotent stem cells for the first time through in vitro induction

This is the "youngest" in vitro induced human cell to date, with strong developmental potential

"These totipotent 8-cell stage embryo-like cells reconstitute the embryonic state of a fertilized egg after only three divisions and can differentiate into placental tissue, potentially developing into more mature stem cell types than past pluripotent stem cells

"This advance is also a perfect example of the combination of regenerative medicine and single-cell sequencing technology," said Dr.

This is the first time researchers have "converted" human pluripotent stem cells into truly totipotent embryonic cells, enabling the reverse transformation of "adult" cells into "baby" cells with greater possibilities

Moreover, since the totipotent cells obtained this time are closer to the original state of early embryos, if they are used in regenerative medicine, the cultivated organs will also be closer to the state of real organs, which is more conducive to transplantation

The breakthrough in this research is due to advances in single-cell sequencing technology

In the past, researchers may have to process and culture thousands of cells with less than a 10 percent chance of success

In addition, the research team also sorted and injected the induced totipotent stem cells into mice for further development, and then used BGI's single-cell sequencing technology for large-scale cell profiling

Ultimately, the researchers determined that the experimentally obtained totipotent stem cells were highly similar to human 8-cell stage embryonic cells, demonstrating the cells' totipotency
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This provides a scientific basis for the future use of patients' own cells for organ culture and transplantation and replacement of their own organs
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The study was led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shenzhen BGI Life Sciences Institute, with the participation of several research teams from the University of Cambridge, Jilin University and Rajshahi University in Bangladesh
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This study has passed the ethical review and strictly complies with the corresponding regulations and ethical guidelines
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