A Novel Method to Propagate Stem Cells

[Guest guest]

A Novel Method to Propagate Stem Cells

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=28984

16 Aug 2005

It's hard to grow stem cells in a dish. In particular, while it is

possible to multiply mouse embryonic stem cells in culture,

propagating stem cells that are specific to distinct tissues (e.g.

neural stem cells) has proven to be a challenge. Neural stem cells

are normally found in a specialized environment known as a

neurosphere, which is thought to provide the necessary cellular

signals to maintain populations of these undifferentiated cells.

In a new paper published in the open-access journal PLoS Biology,

Austin and colleagues have developed a method to propagate

mouse brain stem cells derived from ES cells. Their novel method

creates an on/off switch for differentiation of tissue-specific stem

cells: they can multiply without differentiation, and they can also

become normal brain cells. The authors also managed to cultivate the

brain stem cells without re-creating the rarefied neurosphere.

To grow their stem cells, et al. combined epidermal growth

factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF), two small proteins

that bind to stem cells and promote growth. Previously, scientists

had grown brain stem cells with FGF. Upon removing FGF, the cells

failed to differentiate and become mature. The cells that et

al. grew, in contrast, became mature cells upon removal of the growth

factor cocktail. They observed both neurons and astrocytes, the two

types of cells into which the brain stem cells mature.

In the future, scientists may use this new technique to produce large

quantities of the cells to study their basic properties and also to

explore their value for treating neurodegenerative afflictions,

including Huntington disease, Parkinson disease, and Alzheimer

disease.

Citation: Conti L, Pollard SM, Gorba T, Reitano E, Toselli M, et al.

(2005) Niche-independent symmetrical self-renewal of a mammalian

tissue stem cell. PLoS Biol 3(9): e283.

Link to published article:

dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0030283

SOURCE: PLoS Biology http://www.plosbiology.org

SOURCE: http://www.alphagalileo.org