Stem Cell Genome Anatomy Projects

STEM CELLS ARE found in all multicellular organisms and have a special quality called potency. Potency is referred to as the ability of stem cells to continuously produce daughter cells. They divide repeatedly to produce a large number of cells that can differentiate into functionally different cells in the body. This property of stem cells itself demonstrates their importance in various biomédical applications. However, the extrinsic and intrinsic signals that govern the fate of stem cells remain poorly understood and are dynamic areas of investigation. Stem cell genome anatomy projects are being carried out to shed light on this particular aspect of stem cell modeling.

In an attempt to understand the complexities of adult stem cells, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, under the National Institutes of Health, has funded the Stem Cell Genome Anatomy Projects (SCGAP), a group of researchers studying stem cells from blood, bone, kidney, gut, liver, prostate, and bladder cells. The group plans to develop better ways of identifying adult stem and progenitor cells and of characterizing patterns of gene activity in different types of cells.

In biology, the genome of an organism contains its entire hereditary information. It is encoded in the DNA mostly, but for some viruses, it is found in the RNA as well. The term was first used in 1920 by Hans Winkler, professor of botany at the University of Hamburg, Germany, as a combination of the words gene and chromosome. More precisely, the genome of an organism is a complete DNA sequence of one set of chromosomes. The term genome can be applied specifically to mean the complete set of nuclear DNA (i.e., the nuclear genome), but it can also be applied to organelles that have their own DNA, as with the mitochon—drial genome or the chloroplast genome. When it is said that the genome of a sexually reproducing species has been sequenced, typically this refers to a determination of the sequences of one set [Page 524]of autosomes and one of each type of sex chromosome, which together represent both of the possible sexes. Even in species that exist in only one sex, what is described as a genome sequence might be a composite of the chromosomes of various individuals.

Adult stem cells have been hailed for their ability to treat a variety of disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, diabetes, and spinal cord injury, because of their purported ability to replace damaged tissue.

Researchers studying adult stem cells are trying to find the genes that control spécifie characteristics, such as the ability to replicate or renew themselves or the ability to hone on damaged tissue. These attempts have not been successful, however, and results from different laboratories are sometimes in contradiction.

Through the Stem Cell Genome Anatomy Projects, there will be a study on the biological aspects of the cells and bioinformatics specialists will focus on processing genomic data. The researchers are trying to identify genetic signatures—sets of genes that may define similar behavior in different cells. They also hope to find out which genes might be able to distinguish stem cells from progenitor cells. This might serve as a model for how bioinformatics can be done across organ systems. The Stem Cell Genome Anatomy Projects are carried out for various organs, as mentioned above, and each has its own significance.

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