Background

Electrical stimulation from a triboelectric generator assists the nonviral conversion of fibroblasts into neuronal cells. The graphical abstract reports improved conversion and electrical maturation; quantitative effects and therapeutic outcomes are not established by this summary.

What the study found

The graphical abstract describes triboelectric stimulation assisting nonviral conversion of fibroblasts into neurons.

It reports improvements in conversion and electrophysiological maturation, but the available evidence does not establish the quantitative effect size.

Questions and limits

A question for further study is how the effects of stimulation were separated from factor delivery and culture conditions.

How to compare the results

Compare cell source, delivered factors, stimulation waveform, maturation time, and functional criteria.

Related reading

Direct conversion of fibroblasts to functional neurons by defined factors

DOI: 10.1038/nature08797 ↗

The related paper’s abstract describes conversion of mouse fibroblasts into functional neurons with three transcription factors. It provides context for electrically assisted reprogramming.

The related-work account is based on the PubMed abstract. Delivery method, cell source, maturation time and electrophysiological criteria need to match before comparing efficiency.

Abstract-based introduction

RESEARCH NEWS

Research in the news

Sources used in this summary

The main text and all original figures were read. Detailed Methods are supplied separately in the supporting information and have not been reviewed, nor have the supplementary materials and underlying data.

DOI: 10.1002/adma.201601900