Scientists from the U.S. and Japan have made a breakthrough in stem cell research, finding a cheap and easy way to reprogram adult cells from mice and return them in a state resembling embryonic when cells are able to differentiate into various cell types and tissues.

In other words - the specialists were able to obtain embryonic stem cells without embryos, Reuters, ending up publication in the journal "Nature." The discovery of embryonic stem cells, scientists have high hopes for their use in the treatment of many diseases because of their pluripotency - the ability to develop into different cells and tissues.

The problem with embryonic stem cells is that retrieval means the destruction of the embryo , which raises ethical issues. With the new method, these concerns fall. In 2006, scientists offer an alternative to embryonic cells - ie. induced pluripotent cells. These are normal adult cells back into an undifferentiated pluripotent state through the introduction of foreign genetic material. The problem of induced pluripotent cells , however, is that they can be differentiated only in certain cell types, in contrast to embryonic, which are able to develop into any cell type.

Now the authors of this study - specialists from Japan Institute for physico-chemical studies and their colleagues from the hospital "Brigham end uimins" in Boston and Harvard Medical School in the U.S. have demonstrated that any mature adult cell (somatic cell) has the potential to become equivalent of embryonic stem cells.

Scientists have demonstrated in preclinical models of innovative and unique way to reprogram adult cells that does not require the introduction of foreign DNA - a process used in induced pluripotent stem cells.
In the experiments specialists left mature adult cells to multiply , then they are stressed to near the limit, exposing them to different stress factors - trauma, limited oxygen, acidic environment. Scientists have found that within days the cells survived and recovered from stressful stimuls, returning naturally to a state similar to that of embryonic stem cells.

Thus obtained cells called STAP (Stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency - acquired under the influence of incentives pluripotency) cells were able to differentiate and develop into different cell types and tissues depending on the conditions in which placed.