Scientists discover a way to create specialized cells more efficiently

Researchers at the UCLA Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research have discovered that a metabolic molecule called alpha-ketoglutarate helps pluripotent stem cells mature early in the process of becoming adult organs and tissues. The findings, published online today in the journal Cell Metabolism, could be valuable for scientists working toward stem cell–based therapies for a wide range of diseases.