One of the most important tools in regenerative biology is our ability to create “induced” stem cells.
However, this process essentially wipes the cells of their function and gives them the potential to become any cell type.
The new method, based on the Nobel Prize-winning technique scientists use to make stem cells, overcomes the problem of completely erasing cell identity by stopping reprogramming part of the way through the process.
This allowed researchers to find the precise balance between reprogramming cells, making them biologically younger, while still being able to regain their specialised cell function.