Alzheimer’s cell created artificially

Published on Thursday 26 January 2012 00:31

BRAIN cells affected by Alzheimer’s disease have been created artificially for the first time, providing an invaluable new research tool for scientists.

Experts hope improved versions of the “model” cells will lead to greater understanding of the disease and speed up the search for new treatments.

The cells were made by reprogramming skin cells taken from two patients with a rare inherited form of Alzheimer’s. They were turned into “induced pluripotent stem cells” (iPSCs) with the same properties as stem cells obtained from embryos.

Like embryonic stem cells, iPSCs have the potential to grow into a virtually limitless range of human tissues. Carefully-selected iPSCs from those created from the Alzheimer’s patients went on to develop into neurons displaying biochemical hallmarks of the disease.

The research was published yesterday in the journal Nature.

Senior author Professor Lawrence Goldstein, from the University of California at San Diego, said: “At the end of the day, we need to use cells like these to better understand Alzheimer’s and find drugs to treat it.”