Want a reason to love your lower belly fat? It's rich in stem cells

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Want a reason to love your lower belly fat? It's rich in stem cells

ASPS study finds some areas of the body have greater concentrations

of stem cells

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/asop-war072308.php

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Fat removed from the lower abdomen and

inner thigh through liposuction was found to be an excellent source

of stem cells, with higher stem cell concentrations than other areas

of the body, reports a Brazilian-based study in August's Plastic and

Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American

Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). This is the first study of its

kind to examine whether fat tissues from different areas of the body

vary in stem cell concentration.

" Adult stem cells, derived from our own tissues, hold strong promise

for improved clinical therapies, " said J. Rubin, MD, a member

of the ASPS Fat Grafting Task Force who is involved in pre-clinical

trial work on stem cells taken from fat. " The potential for healing

and repairing injury or disease through stem cells, including

conditions like breast cancer and reconstruction, heart failure,

spinal injuries, diabetes and Parkinson's disease are incredible. We

may be able to more permanently and naturally get rid of pesky

wrinkles or augment breasts with stem cell enriched fat in the future

as well. Knowing more about the biology of stem cells will be of

great value when we are ready for clinical trials in this country. "

In the study, 23 female patients having liposuction in at least four

different body areas agreed to have their fat isolated for adult stem

cells and analyzed to determine stem cell concentrations. The body

areas that were liposuctioned were: lower abdomen, upper abdomen,

inner knee, inner thigh, flank and hips.

The study results found a significant difference in stem cell

concentrations in different areas of the body. A major finding was

that the concentration of stem cells was greatest in the lower

abdomen and inner thighs. Interestingly, stem cell concentration in

the lower abdomen was five times greater than in the upper abdomen.

" The value of stem cells harvested through fat is the ready and ample

supply available, " said ASPS President D'Amico, MD. " Using

stem cells will some day have very practical applications to the

specialty of plastic surgery. That we may be able to generate new

tissue or bone that can be used in many of the reconstructive and

cosmetic procedures we do every day is a tremendous. "

Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have not yet developed a

specific function. Not only are they capable of self renewal, stem

cells can divide and produce others that become specialized cells.

Scientists and doctors theorize that stem cells will be able to

repair or replace damaged or diseased cells. Clinical trials

researching the potential of stem cells from fat are ongoing in

Europe and Asia. In the U.S., there are many investigators doing pre-

clinical trial work to meet the stringent safety guidelines the FDA

sets for clinical trials.