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Genetic manipulation of adult cells can convert them into the equivalent of that adult's embryonic stem cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). iPSCs then can be converted into all types of adult cells. However, after the stunning discovery of iPSCs, some potential problems emerged: tumorigenicity and immunogenicity (JW Gen Med Jul 5 2011).
Three groups report using genetic manipulations to convert fibroblasts directly into functional neurons without first creating iPSCs. These induced neurons form synapses with other neural cells in culture. One group showed that induced dopaminergic neurons, when grafted into neonatal mouse brains, integrated and formed functional connections. Another group created induced human dopaminergic …