Hong Kong - Saba:
Scientists have made a breakthrough in genetic research by creating mice stem cells capable of growing into a living mouse using genetic material from flagellates, single-celled organisms that predate animals.
The discovery redefines our understanding of the origins of stem cells and emphasizes the deep evolutionary connections between animals and their unicellular relatives, media reports said on Wednesday.
The study suggests that key genes involved in stem cell formation may have originated well before stem cells themselves, and may have helped pave the way for the multicellular life we see today.
Led by Dr. de Mendoza, in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong, the team discovered that choanoflagellate flagellates possess copies of the Sox and POU genes, key drivers of pluripotency, the ability of stem cells to differentiate into any cell type.
During the experiments, the scientists replaced the Sox2 gene in mouse cells with its Sox counterpart from flagellates. This replacement successfully reprogrammed the cells to a pluripotent state (i.e. stem cells capable of forming different types of cells), confirming the function of these ancient genes.
To test their effectiveness, the team injected the reprogrammed cells into developing mouse embryos.
The resulting hybrid mice exhibited physical traits characteristic of iPSCs, such as black fur patches and dark eyes. This proved that the Sox gene, derived from flagellates, was seamlessly integrated into the development of a complex animal.
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