AI model decodes the language cells use to communicate
A new computational approach reveals how cells communicate to assemble into tissues. This could accelerate stem cell engineering, improve disease models, and inform therapies.
Scientists have developed a groundbreaking machine learning model, called IRIS, which can decode the language cells use to communicate with each other. This innovation enables researchers to trace the sequence of instructions a cell has received during its development from a cluster of stem cells. Understanding these signaling pathways is crucial for comprehending tissue development and how it goes awry in diseases.
Traditionally, mapping each cell type's unique signaling pathway was laborious and time-consuming. However, IRIS simplifies the process by detecting a distinctive fingerprint for each pathway, consistent across different cell types. This breakthrough paves the way for comprehensive mapping of signaling histories across various cell types, accelerating stem cell engineering and the creation of organoids for studying diseases and testing new drugs.
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