X-Message-Number: 11637 From: "Scott Badger" <> Subject: Fw: Adult Human Brain Stem Cells Reproduce In Vitro Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 08:06:04 -0500 I thought this may interest some on this list, Cheers, Scott Gina Miller <> wrote: > Adult Human Brain Stem Cells Reproduce In Vitro > > Brain stem cells recovered from living adult human tissue have > successfully reproduced in vitro at the University of Tennessee- > Memphis health science center. Additional research from the same > laboratory also shows successful isolation and cultivation of mouse > brain stem cells recovered as long as five to seven days postmortem. > Scheduled this month for publication in a special issue of > Experimental Neurology, these findings could provide a possible > alternative to the research use of embryonic stem cells, an approach > in stem cell biology and its possible therapeutic use that raises > controversial ethical issues. > > Dr. Valery G. Kukekov of UT-Memphis and Methodist Healthcare of > Memphis, is lead author on the paper detailing the growing of adult > brain stem cells recovered from surgical specimens taken from > patients ranging in age from 24 to 57. The paper is titled > "Multipotent Stem/Progenitor Cells with Similar Properties Arise from > Two Neurogenic Regions of Adult Human Brain." > > Dr. Eric D. Laywell of UT-Memphis is lead author of the paper > detailing the growing of brain stem cells recovered from mouse > cadavers five to seven days postmortem. Laywell's paper is titled > "Multipotent Neurospheres Can Be Derived from Forebrain Subependymal > Zone and Spinal Cord of Adult Mice after Protracted Postmortem > Intervals." > > The work is from the laboratory of Dr. Dennis A. Steindler, UT- > Memphis professor of neurobiology and a co-author on both papers. > Describing the work, Steindler said, "This new era of applying > knowledge gained from genetics, molecular, cellular and developmental > biology is much more than just the discussion of the ethical issues > surrounding embryonic and fetal cell research, and the controversy > over cloning animals and human beings. > > "This new research showing that stem/progenitor cells from adult > brains can be expanded in culture (ex vivo) offers hope for future > studies which could someday lead to autologous stem cell transplants > for self-repair regenerative approaches," said Steindler. "It now is > possible to think about using our own population of stem cells > because it appears they survive well into mature adulthood." > > Kukekov's research recovered cells from the hippocampus and the > subependymal zone (SEZ). The SEZ is a remnant left over from the > fetal/baby brain region remaining in the adult brain that surrounds > the fluid-filled spaces called ventricles. > > Kukekov said, "These results are encouraging because it means that > even senior persons have these cells. This gives us the opportunity > in the future, as the research expands, to take a small biopsy > specimen from a diseased person, grow the necessary cells and then > transplant them back to the same person." > > Kukekov said the research team is now working on describing the > molecular biologic characteristics of the cultured cells. "We cannot > move forward and be successful in experiments with propagation > without knowing how genes are expressed in the process and what > molecular events are occurring." > > Laywell's work with cadaveric mice successfully isolated and > recovered stem cells up to five to seven days after death when the > mice were kept at 4 degrees C. The cells were retrieved from the > adult mouse spinal cord and forebrain SEZ. Using the culturing > technique developed by Kukekov, the mouse cells grew and multiplied > and gave rise to both neurons and glia. > > Laywell said the number of surviving cells drops off rapidly with > time, but since they appear to be stem cells, only one is needed to > multiply in culture. > > Laywell said, "Bone marrow stem cells have been repopulated from > cadavers, so it seems to be a property of stem cells in general that > they can survive in conditions that other cells can't." > > Laywell's paper includes a single human-cadaver unpublished > observation which produced results similar to those found with the > mice. > > The research is an international collaborative effort with co- > investigators in Bonn, Germany; Japan, and Memphis. The adult brain > tissue was provided with patient consent by Dr. Keith G. Davies, a > neurosurgeon with UT-Memphis and Semmes-Murphey Clinic and a co- > author on the adult cell paper. > > Kukekov's work was funded by the Methodist/Le Bonheur Healthcare > Foundation. > > Laywell's work was funded by the Spinal Cord Research Foundation of > the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). Steindler's work was funded > by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Daimler-Benz > Foundation funded the work of co-author Dr. Bjorn Scheffler. - By > Claire Lowry > > > [Contact: Claire Lowry] > 28-Apr-1999 > For More Science Coverage: UniSci Science and Research News > http://unisci.com Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=11637