Human Down syndrome genes in stem cells

Researchers in Europe have created a stem cell bank in which each type of cell contains a copy of the human DS genes. The stem cells are from the mouse, which make it easier to study key developmental processes. Therefore, in addition to containing the mouse genes, the stem cell contains an extra human DS gene. One of the important findings from this study was that in addition to creating the cells they also tested for the gene's expression. Amongst the many genes they tested, not all were expressed in excess. The expression of the gene has a big impact on protein expression and ultimately the symptoms experienced by individuals with DS. This finding means that the possible genes for therapeutic targetting can be limited.

Read the study here.

Randal