CHICAGO, Oct 11, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- U.S. scientists Monday said they have determined how to transform adult stem cells into a type of immune system cell.

The findings may have implications for turning stem cells into medical therapies, University of Chicago researchers write in the Oct. 12 issue of Developmental Cell.

Both adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells have the capability to become different cell types, which makes them promising for replacing diseased or damaged tissues. The right molecules and chemical signals have to be present, however, to ensure the stem cells become a desired cell type.

The University of Chicago researchers developed a recipe that effectively directs adult stem cells obtained from bone marrow to become B cells, a component of the immune system that produces antibodies and helps fight off infection.

The recipe, which involves the addition of proteins and molecules in just the right amount at just the right time, may enable researchers to one day "be able to make any kind of cell we want," wrote Harinder Singh, a researcher involved with the study.

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