Here’s how your brain stem cells can turn back time.

Stem cells are magical ✨ Ok, maybe not 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 but the field has made some huge advancements in the last few decades. By adding just four factors to normal cells, we can turn back time.

Background image from Elite Healthcare. Designed by me :)

Part I: The Magic of Stem Cells

What Are Stem Cells?

The 3 Germ Layers

Remember these multipotent stem cells from before? Well, each of them gives rise to one of the germ layers!
Watch this 2-minute video (on 1.5x speed) to get a quick recap of what each germ layer ends up producing.

The Waddington Landscape

The Waddington landscape! Adapted from this article.
Check out this awesome visualization of the model!

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Part II: It Was Inside Of Us All Along

Somitogenesis

Take a look at the process happening in a zebrafish embryo!

So How Does This Work?

Adapted from this paper.

Why Should I Care?

TL;DR

  • Stem cells are able to self-renew and differentiate into different cell types
  • There are 3 germ layers–the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm– and each of them contributes to certain cells within the body
  • We use to think that the Waddington landscape was unidirectional → there’s no way to turn differentiated cells pluripotent again
  • But that was proven wrong with iPSCs and now cranial neural crest cells!

References

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Science communicator trying to learn something new everyday | Published in Start It Up, Predict & The Writing Cooperative

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Parmin Sedigh

Science communicator trying to learn something new everyday | Published in Start It Up, Predict & The Writing Cooperative