It turns cells into other types of cells required for treating diseased conditions. It’s a dime-sized silicone chip that “injects genetic code into skin cells, turning those skin cells into other types of cells required for treating diseased conditions,” according to its creators description. In lab tests, one touch of TNT completely repaired injured legs of mice over three weeks by turning skin cells into vascular cells. This is important because the new technology has the potential to save the lives of car crash victims and even deployed soldiers injured on site. Another goal could be to restore function of aging tissue, including organs, blood vessels and nerve cells.
How things work when TNT is used
“It can restore any type of tissue”, Dr. Chandan Sen, director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cell-Based Therapies, said. He co-led the study with L. James Lee, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering with Ohio State’s College of Engineering in collaboration with Ohio State’s Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center. Practically, the cells are reprogrammed. Researchers were able to reprogram skin cells to become vascular cells and even skin cells into nerve cells. Immune suppression is not necessary, The experiment began four years ago and now the FDA approval is required before TNT will be tested on humans. The hope is this will happen within the year.
