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Stem cell colony
Researchers at the Children's Hospital & Research Center in Oakland, California have discovered a new way to harvest stem cells from the placenta. This technique is a good use of the placenta which at the moment serves no medicinal purpose after birth and thus is discarded. What is more, the study “finds there are far more stem cells in placentas than in umbilical cord blood, and they can be safely extracted for transplantation.” [EurekAlert]
While the theory has not yet been tested, it is assumed that placental stem cells could be used to treat blood disorders such as leukemia and sickle cell anemia. Both umbilical chord and bone marrow stem cells have been used for similar treatments, and the prospect of a higher stem cell yield from placentas may help increase the efficiency of transplant procedures.
The discovery was published in Experimental Biology and Medicine. Because stem cells have been found in umbilical chords and, more recently, breast milk, it makes sense that other birth-related tissues would also have some trace of the cells. By harvesting placentas from women who had undergone Cesarean sections, the doctors found what they had been looking for. "Yes, the stem cells are there; yes, they are viable; and yes, we can get them out," declared Dr. Frans Kuypers. [EurekAlert]
Okland’s Children’s Hospital has seen great success with using stem cells to cure childhood blood illnesses. Since they began the project in 1997, they have “cured more than 100 kids with chronic blood-related diseases through their sibling donor cord blood transplantation program.” [EurekAlert]
However, finding a match is not easy task. Oakland’s project uses siblings—a good bet for a transplant that will not be rejected. However, the American Cancer Society states that a yearly average 16,000 people cannot find stem cell matches to help treat their blood diseases. But with the higher yield of cells from placentas, as well as the fact that the placenta serves no purpose after the birth and thus may be easily attainable, perhaps the new technique will help those in desperate need of stem cells.
Dr. Kupers states, "The greater supply of stem cells in placentas will likely increase the chance that an HLA (human leukocyte antigen) matched unit of stem cells engrafts, making stem cell transplants available to more people. The more stem cells, the bigger the chance of success.” [EurekAlert]
The doctors and researchers at Oakland are hurrying to create a placenta bank, a centralized region where placentas can be stored and accessed by clinics all across the country. "We're looking for a partnership with industry to get placenta-derived stem cells in large quantities to the clinic," said Dr. Kuypers. "Someday, we will be able to save a lot more kids and adults from these horrific blood disorders." [EurekAlert]
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