Researchers at Harvard University and Wake Forest University announced Sunday they have found a new method of harvesting stem cells that does not require destroying human embryos and could avoid governmental embryonic stem cell research bans.
The stem cells are found in the amniotic fluid, which surrounds a fetus while in the womb. Scientists successfully extracted the stem cells without harm to the mother of the fetus. This finding may allow researchers to avoid the governmental bans on embryonic stem cell research, according to a statement from Wake Forest’s Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
“This opens up a whole new type of stem cell for use in research and hopefully someday as medical treatment,” said Mark Wright, spokesman for Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. “These stem cells can be used to treat any type of human tissue; they are extremely plentiful, they are readily available, and there are no ethical issues involved.”
Ethical issues in stem cell research have to do with the debate about destruction of human embryos, which until now has been necessary to extract embryonic stem cells.
“With amniotic stem cells there hasn’t been any destruction of human embryos,” said Amander Clark, an assistant professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology at UCLA and a member of the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at UCLA. “I imagine everyone is excited at this finding.”
Stem cells are unspecialized cells, which means they can be cultivated to become specific areas of the body. They are also capable of replicating themselves for long periods of time.
Scientists are hopeful that stem cells can be used for transplants, as well as for curing diseases such as diabetes or Parkinson’s disease, Clark said.
“Stem cells are important because they are going to give us the opportunity to devise new cures for diseases we’ve previously not been able to treat,” Clark said.
Scientists at Harvard and Wake Forest tested the new findings by implanting neural cells created from the amniotic stem cells into mice with degenerative brain disease. The cells multiplied and repopulated the diseased area, according to Wake Forest’s statement.
Researchers were also able to produce usable bone and liver cells for the mice.
Scientists say they are skeptical that stem cells harvested from amniotic fluid will prove as useful as embryonic stem cells, but Clark said she is still hopeful.
“From the research so far it doesn’t appear amniotic stem cells have the full potential of human embryonic stem cells,” Clark said. “But they still have potential.”
Amniotic stem cells are extracted during amniocentesis, a standard procedure expectant mothers undergo that is performed over 4 million times each year.
A bank with 100,000 stem cells would provide perfect genetic matches for 99 percent of the population, Wright said.
Scientists hope the new method will help them avoid some current government restrictions on stem cell research.
In August 2001, President Bush restricted federal funding for stem cell research. The only stem cell research currently funded by the federal government is done with stem cells which were harvested before the bill was passed. Embryonic stem cell research is currently privately funded.
The new Democratic House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday to expand stem cell research by allowing federal money to again fund embryonic stem cell research, but many expect President Bush to veto the bill.
“I think, as Americans, doing embryonic stem cell research is quite inhibiting,” Clark said. “This new (amniotic fluid stem cell) research isn’t subject to the same restrictions as other stem cell research.”
With reports from Bruin wire services.