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.