Researchers at Washington University have figured out how to scratch off a tiny piece of flesh from a persons forearm, isolate the skin cells and turn those cells into neurons the brain cells that transmit information in the form of electrical signals throughout the body.

The research is significant because it could put researchers on a path to treating certain diseases of the brain, including Alzheimers, ALS, Parkinsons and others.

Washington Universitys research, published Oct. 22 in the journal Neuron, relates specifically to Huntingtons disease, an inherited illness that affects an estimated 30,000 people in the U.S.

Huntingtons is caused when neurons in the brain start to malfunction and die. Initially, sufferers often experience problems with coordination and learning new information. As more neurons die, symptoms worsen and can be fatal.

Andrew Yoo, an assistant professor of developmental biology, explained that skin cells have the same DNA as brain cells.

To get skin cells to begin acting like brain cells, Yoos team at the Washington University medical school was able to create a process in which skin cells were reprogrammed into brain cells.

Basically we were able to pull a genetic trick to generate neurons, Yoo said.

The reprogrammed cells are a specific type that play a large role in controlling movement. They are typically the cells affected by Huntingtons disease.

The next step for researchers, Yoo said, is to re-create the conditions for Huntingtons in a Petri dish to study healthy brain cells alongside malfunctioning ones to get a better understanding of what causes the disease.

From there, Yoo said its possible that researchers develop a way to treat the illness.

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WashU researchers tease out brain cells from skin cells

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