Immortality improves cell reprogramming

August 10, 2009

Specialized adult cells made ‘immortal’ through the blockade of an antitumour pathway can be turned into stem-like cells quickly and efficiently. The findings — which should make it easier to generate patient-specific cells from any tissue type, including certain diseased cells that have proved difficult to transform — suggest that cellular reprogramming and cancer formation are inextricably linked. (Nature News)