New Method Expands Access To Patient-specific Amniotic Stem Cells

Researchers astatine nan University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus person discovered that amniotic fluid stem cells tin beryllium safely collected from vaginal fluid aft childbirth alternatively than relying connected much invasive methods that tin airs immoderate consequence to nan mother and fetus.

"We tin past move those cells into beating bosom cells and usage them later successful treating congenital bosom defects," said nan study's elder writer Jeffrey Jacot, PhD, subordinate professor of pediatrics and bioengineering at the University of Colorado Center for Bioengineering in nan CU School of Medicine.

These results let for an expanded and readily disposable root of amniotic stem cells beyond accepted postulation done amniocentesis."

Jeffrey Jacot, Associate Professor, CU School of Medicine

The study was published coming successful nan diary Stem Cells Translational Medicine.

Amniotic fluid surrounds and provides cushioning, nutrients and maturation factors to nan processing fetus. It besides contains galore compartment types originating from nan fetus and fetal membranes. For decades, nan clear fluid has been utilized arsenic a measurement to observe fetal familial anomalies. This was often done done amniocentesis, a regular but invasive procedure. It is often done during nan 2nd trimester limiting entree of these stem cells to definite pregnancies, Jacot said.

These limitations prompted investigation into collecting amniotic fluid astatine nan afloat word of a pregnancy.

Jacot and his squad group retired to spot if they could cod and isolate amniotic fluid stem cells during vaginal deliveries. The stem cells could later beryllium utilized to create insubstantial to repair familial defects including bosom defects successful nan baby.

They successfully collected samples from 4 vaginal deliveries pinch infants, 3 of whom were diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic near bosom syndrome. The researchers past reprogrammed nan amniotic stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells and sorted them into functional cardiomyocytes.

"These findings propose that amniotic fluid collected from vaginal births is a readily disposable root of patient-specific stem cells for banking, in vitro illness modeling, and regenerative medicine applications," said Jacot.

He said nan existent method of treating immoderate bosom defects successful infants involves up to 3 surgeries. Stem cells from amniotic fluid tin beryllium utilized to make bosom insubstantial successful nan lab.

"We deliberation you tin reconstruct a bosom to a much emblematic building if you person functional bosom insubstantial you tin put into it," Jacot said. "These bosom cells would past turn pinch nan babe and hopefully trim nan number of surgeries."