Technical Challenges in Stem Cell Research

[InSilico]

I've been tasked with a relatively interesting assignment: a review manuscript on the biotechnological applications of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). I've gathered a fair number of articles discussing how ASCs (which I understand are mesenchymal stem cells, MSCs) can be extracted from human adipose tissue and made to differentiate into at least three different varieties of tissue. One paper clarifies methods for inducing differentiation into three different tissues specifically: bone, cartilage and adipose tissue. I suppose I'm off to a good start.

 

Still, the story doesn't end there.

 

I'm looking for the challenges that ASCs face, particularly technical challenges. I understand that stem cells in general face a number of ethical challenges, some of which I presume permeate the notion of using them for industrial (which is to say: business) applications. Is it true that human tissue cannot be sold? How would a business looking to provide stem cell therapy overcome this? Unless legislation changes, would they be able to?

 

I should note, though, that I'm interested more directly in some of the technical challenges that stem cells still face. Obviously, it's a new and growing field of study, and there's still much to be understood. I'm wondering how efficiently one is able to identify, extract, isolate, purify, induce differentiation and ultimately employ stem cells in a meaningful (or potentially meaningful) way? From the literature I've read, it seems as though many of the differentiation methods have been sort of one-off experiments that met with success, in the sea of unsuccessful attempts. Is there enough consistency in any one method of differentiation that could lead to business applications? If not, why not? If not, what sort of research could be done to overcome it?

 

I realize that I'm asking some very open-ended questions, the answers to which may not be published by any peer-reviewed journal, but I'd appreciate any feedback you'd be willing to offer. Of course, I'm desperately hungry for citations, so if you're aware of any relevant journal manuscripts, even reviews, I'd honestly love to read them. Please do bring them up.

 

Thanks again everyone. I look forward to hearing what y'all think.

[InSilico]

I have a more specific question.

I've found what appears to be a technical issue in the commercial potential of stem cell therapy: patient-specificity vs. patient-independence. To be more precise, from what I've read, successful induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) differentiation and application appears to still be patient-specific. That is: only cells from a single patient can be used effectively as a therapy for that patient.

 

First, I'd like to know if anyone has reason to believe otherwise? If so, could you cite a (recent) article explaining where I've missed something? Are there patient-independent iPSC methods currently in practice?

 

If my understand is correct, could anyone venture a thought as to if or how this might be overcome? Is there research being done to address the patient-specificity?

[pantheory]

I've been tasked with a relatively interesting assignment: a review manuscript on the biotechnological applications of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). I've gathered a fair number of articles discussing how ASCs (which I understand are mesenchymal stem cells, MSCs) can be extracted from human adipose tissue and made to differentiate into at least three different varieties of tissue. One paper clarifies methods for inducing differentiation into three different tissues specifically: bone, cartilage and adipose tissue. I suppose I'm off to a good start.

 

Still, the story doesn't end there.

 

I'm looking for the challenges that ASCs face, particularly technical challenges. I understand that stem cells in general face a number of ethical challenges, some of which I presume permeate the notion of using them for industrial (which is to say: business) applications. Is it true that human tissue cannot be sold? How would a business looking to provide stem cell therapy overcome this? Unless legislation changes, would they be able to?

In the U.S. there are present laws against selling tissue for profit excepting for research purposes. If you are a non-profit there are restrictions but money can exchange hands. New laws will be needed in time, but will certainly first face ethical considerations and ramifications. As far as Adipose derived stem cells are concerned, since they can only be differentiated into the tissue that you mentioned bove, their present application is very limited.

 

I should note, though, that I'm interested more directly in some of the technical challenges that stem cells still face. Obviously, it's a new and growing field of study, and there's still much to be understood. I'm wondering how efficiently one is able to identify, extract, isolate, purify, induce differentiation and ultimately employ stem cells in a meaningful (or potentially meaningful) way? From the literature I've read, it seems as though many of the differentiation methods have been sort of one-off experiments that met with success, in the sea of unsuccessful attempts. Is there enough consistency in any one method of differentiation that could lead to business applications? If not, why not? If not, what sort of research could be done to overcome it?

Differentiation is just one problem. Another is their application. Most applications today are done by surgery or by needle injections to specific locations to treat injured or permanently damaged tissue. The only present application for ADCs outside of research in the U.S. that I know of, is for cartilage repair.

 

For ADC's the research is to have them revert to a more primitive type of stem cell that can become a larger variety of tissue, the most desirable being pluripotent. The methods by which they can be induced to become pluripotent stem cells are a major push in today's research.

 

I realize that I'm asking some very open-ended questions, the answers to which may not be published by any peer-reviewed journal, but I'd appreciate any feedback you'd be willing to offer. Of course, I'm desperately hungry for citations, so if you're aware of any relevant journal manuscripts, even reviews, I'd honestly love to read them. Please do bring them up.

There are a number of treatments in Mexico using ADS's that propose to cure a number of maladies. See link below. The most probable outcome I think will be that such treatments cannot hurt you. I think much of their hype is bogus and that most of these treatments will be stopped within a couple of years unless they can provide evidence to their validity, which I do not believe they will be able to do for the most part.

 

http://www.stemcellm...m-cell-therapy/

 

I've found what appears to be a technical issue in the commercial potential of stem cell therapy: patient-specificity vs. patient-independence. To be more precise, from what I've read, successful induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) differentiation and application appears to still be patient-specific. That is: only cells from a single patient can be used effectively as a therapy for that patient.

 

First, I'd like to know if anyone has reason to believe otherwise? If so, could you cite a (recent) article explaining where I've missed something? Are there patient-independent iPSC methods currently in practice? If my understand is correct, could anyone venture a thought as to if or how this might be overcome? Is there research being done to address the patient-specificity?

The patient's own stem cells are usually better when possible since the infused stem cells do not face the transplantation/ rejection response issues, but stem cells in general have an immune privilege whereby they are not as easily rejected as other foreign tissue. In Mexico they are simply matching blood types but for a more certain stem-cell engraftments, tissue typing/ matching such as required for organ transplants are more certain, but much more difficult to find a match even though the match does not have to be as close as in organ transplants.

 

Embryonic stem cells do not generally have the same transplant problems since the immune system of the zygote has not yet developed and therefore there are few chemical markers on their exterior that could cause rejection by the recipient.

 

for further info you can contact me at pantheory.org@gmail.com

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Edited November 11, 2011 by pantheory