Exploring The Use Of Fat Cells As Heart Attack Therapy
A large problem that faces heart attack survivors is the death of heart cells. During a heart attack cells in the heart are deprived of oxygen, which causes a percentage of them to die, leaving behind damaged tissue.
Researchers at the University of Houston are looking in to using adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) to reduce the damage caused by this lack of oxygen. ADSCs can be found in and easily removed from fatty tissue. ADSCs are different from most cells in that they have the ability to develop into different types of cells (a lot like stem cells) and produce chemicals that have the potential to protect or rejuvenate heart muscles.
Using a special bioreactor, developed for use on the space station, a sample of canine cardiomyocytes was deprived of oxygen for 24 hours, then the stromal cells were introduced and the sample was cultured under normal oxygen levels for 24 hours (during the reoxygenation of heart cells is when most of the damage takes place). This sample was then compared to a control sample in which the stromal cells were not introduced. The results showed that without the ADSCs the rate of apoptosis was 15% as opposed to just 3% when ADSCs were present.
The best part about this treatment is that it comes from fatty tissue which is readily available because of today’s liposuction market, and the ADSCs are relatively easy to extract. A main goal of the research is to be able to develop a drug treatment rather than having to do co-cultures to get the desired results.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/127161.php
(Source: Angela Hopp, University of Houston)
Researchers at the University of Houston are looking in to using adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) to reduce the damage caused by this lack of oxygen. ADSCs can be found in and easily removed from fatty tissue. ADSCs are different from most cells in that they have the ability to develop into different types of cells (a lot like stem cells) and produce chemicals that have the potential to protect or rejuvenate heart muscles.
Using a special bioreactor, developed for use on the space station, a sample of canine cardiomyocytes was deprived of oxygen for 24 hours, then the stromal cells were introduced and the sample was cultured under normal oxygen levels for 24 hours (during the reoxygenation of heart cells is when most of the damage takes place). This sample was then compared to a control sample in which the stromal cells were not introduced. The results showed that without the ADSCs the rate of apoptosis was 15% as opposed to just 3% when ADSCs were present.
The best part about this treatment is that it comes from fatty tissue which is readily available because of today’s liposuction market, and the ADSCs are relatively easy to extract. A main goal of the research is to be able to develop a drug treatment rather than having to do co-cultures to get the desired results.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/127161.php
(Source: Angela Hopp, University of Houston)
posted by Matt Rosner at 3:03 PM
1 Comments:
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