UCSD Researchers Induce Alzheimer's Neurons from Stem Cells

Material taken from UCSD University Communications and Public Affairs News Center, January 25, 2012.

Led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, scientists have, for the first time, created stem cell-derived, in vitro models of sporadic and hereditary Alzheimer’s disease (AD), using induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with the much-dreaded neurodegenerative disorder.

An account of this feat was published in the January 25 online edition of the journal Nature.  It represents a new and much-needed method for studying the causes of AD, a progressive dementia that afflicts approximately 5.4 million Americans. More importantly, the living cells provide an unprecedented tool for developing and testing drugs to treat the disorder.

For the full story, please visit the UCSD News Center story at http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressreleases/researchers_induce_alzheimers_neurons_from_pluripotent_stem_cells/