|
Kyoto University Researchers Find Stem Cells in Human Heart
Japan Science Scan
Kyodo News International
12 September 2005
Stem cells have been discovered in human heart tissue and separated off, a finding which may pave the way for treating patients whose heart muscle has been damaged due to heart ailment, a Kyoto University research team said Friday.
The stem cells, when cultivated, developed into several different types of cells including heart muscle cells, endothelium cells, and fat cells. The researchers also found stem cells in skeletal muscles when they looked into human leg muscles.
The team, led by Hiroaki Matsubara, a visiting professor of the Translational Research Center at Kyoto University Hospital, and Hidemasa O, an assistant professor at the center, will announce their findings at a meeting of the Japanese College of Cardiology to be held from Sept. 19 in Osaka.
With patients' consents, the team obtained part of the heart tissues and separated the cells by using a certain enzyme. As a result, one stem cell was found in every 8,000 cells, the team said.
Heart muscle stem cells have already been discovered in mice. When transplanted to the heart of a mouse that had suffered a cardiac infarction, the stem cells regenerated heart muscle and blood vessel cells.
Matsubara said the team will conduct experiments on other animals and hope to start carrying out clinical tests if the Kyoto University's ethics panel grants permission early next year.
In clinical tests, the team will transplant bone marrow stem cells along with heart muscle stem cells so that the heart muscle and the blood vessel will regenerate together.
|
