Stem Cell Researchers Create Heart And Blood Cells From Reprogrammed Skin Cells

May 1st, 2008

Well now…this is something that we should all be interested in. This is the first to show that induced stem cells or iPS cells, which don’t involve the use of embryos or eggs, can be differentiated into the three types of cardiovascular cells needed to repair the heart and blood vessels. Stem cell researches at UCLA have been able to grow functioning cardio cells using mouse skin cells that had been reprogrammed into cells with the same unlimited properties as embryonic stem cells.

The discovery could one day lead to clinical trials of new treatments for people who suffer heart attacks, have atherosclerosis or are in heart failure, said Dr. Robb MacLellan, a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research and senior author of the study.

“I believe iPS cells address many of the shortcomings of human embryonic stem cells and are the future of regenerative medicine,” said MacLellan, an associate professor of cardiology and physiology. “I’m hoping that these scientific findings are the first step towards one day developing new therapies that I can offer my patients. There are still many limitations with using iPS cells in clinical studies that we must overcome, but there are scientists in labs across the country working to address these issues right now.”

These discoveries have also been able to differentiate into other types of blood cells that may one day help in treating blood diseases, and bone marrow transplants. Amazing discoveries that may one day lower the need for so much drug rehab because of all the damn medications we are prescribed for anything.