Parkinson's research to use skin cells

Skin from people with Parkinson's is to be used to grow the brain cells believed to cause the disease.

The skin cells will be genetically reset to "zero" before being launched on a new development path.

Scientists hope to use them to grow neurons that produce the brain-signalling chemical dopamine. It is thought that when these die off, it triggers Parkinson's, upsetting the control of muscle movements.

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A team led by Richard Wade-Martins, head of the Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, plans to recruit more than 1,000 patients with early-stage symptoms.

Small samples of skin tissue will be genetically engineered to turn the clock back so they become induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), having the same properties as stem cells found in early-stage embryos, including the ability to develop into virtually any kind of body tissue.

By exposing them to the right cocktail of chemicals, the scientists hope to make them differentiate into dopamine neurons.

Details of the five-year research programme were presented at the UK National Stem Cell Network annual science meeting in Nottingham.

The research has been made possible by a 5m grant from Parkinson's UK – the largest awarded by the charity.

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