Get a healthy embryo from a cancer cell

2002/11/07 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Biologia
• Genetika
• Anatomia/Fisiologia

The research, carried out at the St Jude Hospital in Memphis (USA) It has used the same technique as the one used to obtain the famous sheep Dolly, that is, the DNA of the cell that has been excited to develop an embryo has been introduced into a healthy operatic. However, in this case, instead of starting from an adult cell of a sheep, they have departed from a cancerous cell of the brain of a mouse.

Although the researchers did not believe it, the embryo so produced is totally healthy. It seems that in cloning, genetic changes that make healthy cells into cancer cells are eliminated. Repair occurs when the cloned cell is reprogrammed.

Reprogramming is the fundamental step of cloning. Through this step, DNA undergoes chemical changes and is ‘rejuvenated’. Researchers believe that, along with rejuvenation, there are also changes in the chemical signals that prescribe which genes are activated or in the structure of DNA, which cause the cancer defect to disappear. According to this study, defects in the genes may not be remedied, but they may be related to the structure or chemical signaling.

On the other hand, to support reprogramming, a series of chemical substances that researchers hope can be used to cure brain cancers are used. This type of substance is already used in the treatment of other cancers. The research has been presented at the annual congress of the Society of Neuroscience held in Florida, United States.