US researchers find stem cells in human fat

[Guest guest]

US researchers find stem cells in human fat

By Krolicki

LOS ANGELES, Apr 10 (Reuters) - Your love handles might someday save a life.

Researchers at UCLA and the University of Pittsburgh say they have isolated

human stem cells from fat sucked out of patients during routine

liposuctions.

That finding opens the prospect of a more abundant supply of the cells,

which are needed for promising medical research, and drawn from the same fat

many Americans would be more than happy to donate in the name of science.

" Fat is perhaps the ideal source, " said Dr. Marc Hedrick, a UCLA plastic

surgeon and one of the researchers on the project. " There's plenty of it.

It's easy and inexpensive to obtain. It even has a secondary cosmetic

benefit. "

Stem cells are master cells that have the ability to become anything in the

body from nerves to bone to muscle. Because of their unique power to develop

into all kinds of tissue, researchers are examining them for potential use

in treating a wide range of diseases.

Researchers say stem cells have the potential to grow new heart muscles for

people with cardiac disease, new insulin-producing cells for those with

diabetes and even new nerve tissue for those suffering from spinal injuries

or Parkinson's or Alzheimer's diseases.

Until now, however, one of the major problems has been the relative scarcity

of human stem cells for testing and the medical and ethical controversy

surrounding their best-known sources.

Stem cells develop in the first stages of human life when they form a kind

of biological blank slate. Early research looked at embryonic tissue

obtained from fertility clinics, but abortion opponents have challenged the

morality of such experiments on the basis that life begins at conception.

President W. Bush has stated his opposition to embryonic stem cell

research, and his administration is reviewing whether to block federal

funding for it, a step that has drawn a counter-plea from 80 US Nobel

laureates.

With that debate still raging, the potential to draw stem-like cells from

fat opens a new channel, especially given that there are 600,000

liposuctions a year in the United States, researchers said.

" We don't yet know the limits for stem cells found in fat, " said Dr. Adam

Katz, a plastic surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh. " This discovery

could potentially obviate the need for using fetal tissue. "

Or, as Zuk, a University of California at Los Angeles postdoctoral

researcher said, " I'm sure there would be a lot of people willing to donate

fat. "

MILLIONS OF STEM-LIKE CELLS IN HALF POUND OF FAT

In the experiment, detailed in the April issue of the medical journal Tissue

Engineering, the scientists took the fat and fluid sucked from the hips,

buttocks and stomachs of patients during elective liposuction surgery.

That material was then washed and purified, treated with an enzyme to break

down the matrix holding cells together and compared with the stem cells

obtained from bone marrow samples.

The result: researchers found that a half-pound (0.24 kg) or so of fatty

material could yield as much as 50 million to 100 million undifferentiated

stem-like cells, Zuk said.

Researchers said those cells appeared to have the potential to grow into

bone, fat, cartilage or muscle tissue over time. Experiments at UCLA were

under way to see if the cells could be used to grow human bone and fat

tissue in mice, Hedrick said.

Hedrick, who was set to perform another liposuction on Tuesday, said the

findings should cause people to begin to see " unwanted fat as a vigorous

tissue with a tremendous potential for good. "

" It's not just that spare tire that we're all looking to get rid of, " he

said.

[Guest guest]

i've got plenty to donate if anyone needs some!!!!

kathy

[Guest guest]

-

Finally a good use for the fat caused by the prednisone.

If any of us need a stem cell transplant - the pred can

cause us to have a reserve supply. These remarks are only

slightly tongue in cheek. More reason to party on Friday!

Hugs,

> US researchers find stem cells in human fat

>

> By Krolicki

>

> LOS ANGELES, Apr 10 (Reuters) - Your love handles might someday save a life.

> Researchers at UCLA and the University of Pittsburgh say they have isolated

> human stem cells from fat sucked out of patients during routine

> liposuctions.

>

> That finding opens the prospect of a more abundant supply of the cells,

> which are needed for promising medical research, and drawn from the same fat

> many Americans would be more than happy to donate in the name of science.

>

> " Fat is perhaps the ideal source, " said Dr. Marc Hedrick, a UCLA plastic

> surgeon and one of the researchers on the project. " There's plenty of it.

> It's easy and inexpensive to obtain. It even has a secondary cosmetic

> benefit. "

>

> Stem cells are master cells that have the ability to become anything in the

> body from nerves to bone to muscle. Because of their unique power to develop

> into all kinds of tissue, researchers are examining them for potential use

> in treating a wide range of diseases.

>

> Researchers say stem cells have the potential to grow new heart muscles for

> people with cardiac disease, new insulin-producing cells for those with

> diabetes and even new nerve tissue for those suffering from spinal injuries

> or Parkinson's or Alzheimer's diseases.

>

> Until now, however, one of the major problems has been the relative scarcity

> of human stem cells for testing and the medical and ethical controversy

> surrounding their best-known sources.

>

> Stem cells develop in the first stages of human life when they form a kind

> of biological blank slate. Early research looked at embryonic tissue

> obtained from fertility clinics, but abortion opponents have challenged the

> morality of such experiments on the basis that life begins at conception.

>

> President W. Bush has stated his opposition to embryonic stem cell

> research, and his administration is reviewing whether to block federal

> funding for it, a step that has drawn a counter-plea from 80 US Nobel

> laureates.

>

> With that debate still raging, the potential to draw stem-like cells from

> fat opens a new channel, especially given that there are 600,000

> liposuctions a year in the United States, researchers said.

>

> " We don't yet know the limits for stem cells found in fat, " said Dr. Adam

> Katz, a plastic surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh. " This discovery

> could potentially obviate the need for using fetal tissue. "

>

> Or, as Zuk, a University of California at Los Angeles postdoctoral

> researcher said, " I'm sure there would be a lot of people willing to donate

> fat. "

>

> MILLIONS OF STEM-LIKE CELLS IN HALF POUND OF FAT

>

> In the experiment, detailed in the April issue of the medical journal Tissue

> Engineering, the scientists took the fat and fluid sucked from the hips,

> buttocks and stomachs of patients during elective liposuction surgery.

>

> That material was then washed and purified, treated with an enzyme to break

> down the matrix holding cells together and compared with the stem cells

> obtained from bone marrow samples.

>

> The result: researchers found that a half-pound (0.24 kg) or so of fatty

> material could yield as much as 50 million to 100 million undifferentiated

> stem-like cells, Zuk said.

>

> Researchers said those cells appeared to have the potential to grow into

> bone, fat, cartilage or muscle tissue over time. Experiments at UCLA were

> under way to see if the cells could be used to grow human bone and fat

> tissue in mice, Hedrick said.

>

> Hedrick, who was set to perform another liposuction on Tuesday, said the

> findings should cause people to begin to see " unwanted fat as a vigorous

> tissue with a tremendous potential for good. "

>

> " It's not just that spare tire that we're all looking to get rid of, " he

> said.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I read about that too and think it is wonderful. Gives my fat a purpose!

Temple

Kuddle Kritters Farm

3 Fox Haven Way

Chelmsford, MA 01824

dat2352@...

http://www.homestead.com/kuddlekrittersfarm/index.html

http://www.homestead.com/kuddlekraft/index.html

http://www.homestead.com/kuddlekrittersdairygoats/index.html