The potential of amniotic membrane/amnion-derived cells for regeneration of various tissues.
The amniotic membrane and the cells derived from the amnion, due to their similar characteristics with stem cells, have been reported to be a novel source of generating biological substitutes. Although stem cells have been known as a source of cells for regenerative medicine, the adult stem cells are hard to isolate and grow in culture, while the embryonic stem cells risk tumor formation. Amnion-derived cells, on the other hand, have the following advantages. They have low immunogenicity and anti-inflammatory functions; they are non-tumorigenic; and they involve little ethical problems with usage because these membranes are usually discarded after parturition and can therefore be obtained without harming mothers or babies. In addition, amniotic membrane-derived cells possess multipotent differentiation ability. They can differentiate both in vitro and in vivo into chondrocyte-like cells and three germ layers: endoderm for hepatocytes and pancreatic β-cells, mesoderm for cardiomyocyte-like cells, and ectoderm for neural progenitor cells. All of these advantages sound promising.
The clinical application of amniotic membrane includes the filed of ophthalmology and hyper dry amnion. Studies have shown that the derivative of amniotic membrane promotes the proliferation of bovine cornea epithelial cells. The hyper dry amnion is easy for handling, decreases the degradation of tissue-protein, and has produced good results to patients. With the usage of amnion-derived cells, developing therapeutic strategies such as artificial organs, cell transplantation, and gene therapy will only be more achievable.
This paper is a great recap of what we have learned in the course. Not only can we review the methods and techniques we’ve gone through in some of the labs under the “isolation and cultivation of amniotic cells,” but we also see how significant the field of tissue engineering will be. The potentials of amnion-derived cells ensure more possibilities in reconstruction of damaged tissue and will definitely benefit more populations in the near future.
5 comments:
Sounds like a great way of achieving some of the goals of stem cell research in a less ethically controversial alternative. You had mentioned that amnion-derived cells "can differentiate both in vitro and in vivo into chondrocyte-like cells and three germ layers: endoderm for hepatocytes and pancreatic β-cells, mesoderm for cardiomyocyte-like cells, and ectoderm for neural progenitor cells." Does this mean they can only differentiate into the above mentioned cell types or are those only types studied so far? Also how easy or hard these cells to manipulate and influence in comparison to stem cells?
I think it's clearly presented what medical and ethical advantages amnion-derived cells have over traditional stem cells. This brings to mind, however, what (if any) economic advantages this method provides: essentially, if there is any cost-related motivation for researchers to prefer this line of cells over stem cells?
To ranjani--I believe those cell types mentioned are those studied so far only; the author suspects that the amniotic membrane/ amnion-derived cells might have pluripotent properties. These cells isolated from amnion are indeed stem cells.
To lin--The amniotic membrane is discarded after parturition, and only consents from the mothers (the possessors) are required for using human amniotic membrane, so I'd say it's free of charge.
I'm not sure in general where the stem cells used in research come from, though Dr. Songtao Shi from NIH discovered in 2003 that children's primary teeth is another source for adult stem cells. In 2007 it is possible to produce a stem cell from almost any other human cell.
This approach sounds very promising but I am really curious to know what are its limitations? Is it just the number of cells it can differentiate into (as far as we know)? Also, so I noticed the comment about the primary teeth and I am wondering if the stem cells obtained from these teeth just like any other adult stem cell (e.g. from bone marrow) in their potency?
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