Scientists have created the biggest family tree of human cells yet, mapping unique factors for an incredible 166 different cell types that exist in an individual's body.
Cells are the basic unit of a living organism. The human body consists of a vast array of highly specialised cells, such as blood cells, skin cells and neurons.
In total, more than 250 different cell types exist. In the study, scientists tried to answer how the different types are related to each other, which factors are unique for each cell type, and what determines the development of a certain cell.
Biologists at the Universities of Eastern Finland, Tampere and Luxembourg, Tampere University of Technology and the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, US, designed a computer-based method that used already existing biological data from research groups all over the world and analysed them in an entirely new way.
This led to the identifications of unique factors for 166 different human cell types. These factor, or master regulators, determine the development and distinguish different cell types from each other.
With this information they could map the relationship between the cell types in a family tree. These outcomes may serve as basis for the development of cell replacement therapies.
"Many diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes, or extensive burns result in the loss or altered functionality of cells," said Dr Merja Heinaniemi, first author of the study.
"Ideally one would like to replace those sick or lost cells again by healthy ones to cure the patients. This study forms an important step towards the development of such therapies," Heinaniemi, from the University of Eastern Finland, said.
"The next goal is to better understand the differentiation of cells into other cell types with the help of master regulators on a genome-wide basis in order to find ways to enhance cell differentiation for medical applications," Heinaniemi.
"This study illustrates the importance of computational biology for medicine. Such large amounts of biological data can only be analysed with computer-based methods," said Professor Matti Nykter of the University of Tampere.
The study was published in the journal Nature Methods.
