Researchers grow stem cells from human skin

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Researchers grow stem cells from human skin

23 Jun 2005 Medical News Today

Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine have

successfully isolated stem cells from human skin, expanded them in

the laboratory and coaxed them into becoming fat, muscle and bone

cells. The study, one of the first studies to show the ability of a

single adult stem cell to become multiple tissue types, is reported

today in Stem Cells and Development.

" These cells should provide a valuable resource for tissue repair and

for organs as well, " said Atala, M.D., director of the Wake

Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and senior researcher on

the project. " Because these cells are taken from a patient's own

skin, there would not be problems with organ or tissue rejection. "

The research team grew mesenchymal stem cells, a type of stem cell

normally found in bone marrow. Using tissue samples from 15 donors

who had routine circumcisions, the scientists were able to isolate

single stem cells, which they then grew in culture dishes in the

laboratory. The scientists used hormones and growth factors to coax

the stem cells into becoming fat, muscle and bone cells.

When the differentiated cells were seeded onto three-dimensional

molds and implanted in mice, they maintained features consistent with

bone, muscle and fat tissue. " Our study shows that stem cells can be

obtained from a simple skin biopsy and can be made to become three

vital tissues, " said Shay Soker, Ph.D., associate professor of

surgery at Wake Forest's School of Medicine, which is part of Wake

Forest University Baptist Medical Center. " The bulk of our bodies is

made up of fat, muscle and bone. "

The promise of stem cells lies in their ability to develop into

specialized types of cells and to replicate themselves. Scientists

hope to harness the potential of stem cells and use them to replace

damaged cells and tissue in conditions such as spinal cord injuries,

diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, stroke and burns.

Most scientists believe that stem cells from human embryos are the

most versatile type of stem cell because they have the potential to

form any cell or tissue in the body. But they are also exploring the

potential of stem cells from adults. In addition to skin, the cells

have been identified in bone marrow, the brain and blood from the

umbilical cord.

" Compared to bone marrow, a skin biopsy is easy to take, so it offers

advantages for clinical use, " said Soker. " The cells can be obtained

from any small sample of human skin. "

Next, Atala's research team hopes to test the function of the tissue

that was created from the stem cells.

" We've proved that the cells can be used to engineer tissues

consistent with bone, muscle and fat when implanted in animals; now

we need to test their function long term, " said Soker.

Soker said the cells have potential to be used both in tissue

engineering - the science of growing tissues and organs in the

laboratory - as well as in cell therapy. For cell therapy, laboratory-

grown cells would be injected into the body to replace breast tissue

removed by surgery, to fill in the gaps in bone fractures or replace

muscle damaged by injury.

" The ability to engineer tissues from a patient's own cells may

overcome two major problems in transplantation medicine: immune

rejection and tissue shortage, " Atala said.

Other members of the research team were Georg Bartsch Jr., Paolo de

Coppi, Yoo, M. Minhaj Siddiqui, Gunter Schunch, Hans G. Pohl,

Jasmin Fuhr, and Perin.