Stem cells could be produced by the billions through a new technique. This newly developed process could lead to the creation of stem cell factories, researchers stated.
Heart attacks can typically result in the deaths of approximately 5 billion heart cells. Stem cells could, potentially, replace dead cells in cardiac tissue, repairing damage from heart attacks. Doing so could greatly benefit patients undergoing such procedures.
Pluripotent stem cells are capable of developing into any variety of cell, from heart tissue to bone to nerves. For years, researchers have worked in an attempt to develop a polymer capable of serving as a surface on which to culture the versatile structures.
The ability to culture billions of stem cells quickly and easily could potentially lead to dramatic advances in restorative treatments for a wide range of conditions and injuries.
"The possibilities for regenerative medicine are still being researched in the form of clinical trials. What we are doing here is paving the way for the manufacture of stem cells in large numbers when those therapies are proved to be safe and effective," Morgan Alexander of the University of Nottingham said.
The material developed by the research team during the course of the $3.68 million study is inherently free of both variability and contamination. The process shows promise of being scalable, which could allow for the quick development of inexpensive stem cell-based treatments. If approved by regulators, the new technology could be used to provide treatments to patients in just two to three years, developers state.
"The material could provide an off-the-shelf product for clinical use in the treatment of the heart, liver and brain," the University of Nottingham reported on its website.
Stem cells are found in both embryonic and adult varieties. Each has unique properties that provide opportunities that direct how they may be used in medicine. Embryonic stem cells are much more versatile, on average, than adult cells. However, recent research has discovered larger deposits of adult stem cells than once thought possible.
"Scientists discovered ways to derive embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos more than 30 years ago, in 1981. The detailed study of the biology of mouse stem cells led to the discovery, in 1998, of a method to derive stem cells from human embryos and grow the cells in the laboratory. These cells are called human embryonic stem cells," The National Institutes of Health states on its website.
Patients with damage to their heart, liver or brain could all potentially benefit from this new technology.
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