Stem cells from endometrium and menstrual blood: a Russian priority
The endometrium of the uterus is a new source of stem cellsRussian scientists have discovered a new way to produce stem cells.
An excellent source of them can be pieces of the endometrium coming out of the body during menstruation
Mesenchymal stem cells used in cell therapy have been found in almost all tissues of the human body. Including in the endometrium of the uterus. Employees of the V. I. Kulakov Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology and the V. A. Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences found mesenchymal stem cells in menstrual blood. According to them, at the moment it is one of the most convenient sources of stem cells.
The endometrium is the inner lining of the uterine cavity. From the cells of this tissue, some extra-embryonic organs develop, in particular, the placenta. In the last phase of a woman's menstrual cycle, the endometrium begins to grow actively, and if pregnancy does not begin, some of its cells are separated and removed from the uterus with menstrual blood. The endometrium contains many stem cells capable of differentiation into mature specialized cells.
A team of scientists led by Raisa Musina investigated the possibility of obtaining stem cells from the donated blood of ten healthy female volunteers aged 25-45 years. In the course of the work, thirty samples were obtained, which were monitored for four years. The authors of the study note that the stem cells they isolated were more uniform in size and shape than those obtained from other sources – adipose tissue, bone marrow and skin.
As indicated in the work, the ability of cells to grow under culture conditions and, in fact, their presence in menstrual blood depended on the state of the woman's body during the previous month. For example, if a woman had a cold or suffered stress, it was not always possible to isolate endometrial stem cells from her blood, and the resulting cells grew much slower in culture.
The samples also differ significantly depending on the age of the patients. The culture of cells isolated from donors over 40 years old could not be maintained for longer than 15-18 months, whereas cells from women under 30 years old could be cultured for four years or more.
Scientists noticed that the activity of cell division decreased over time. But in general, endometrial mesenchymal stem cell samples were divided at a rate comparable to that observed in similar adipose tissue and skin cells, and significantly faster than umbilical cord blood and bone marrow. Comparing stem cells from different sources, the researchers found that endometrial cells differentiate well into osteoblasts and bone cells. Worse – in adipose tissue cells (adipocytes).
"This finding is good because it is possible to obtain almost any amount of material for growing stem cells using a non–invasive method," comments Raisa Musina. – You can create a bank and select histocompatible donors in the future (which is extremely important for hereditary diseases). It is possible for young girls to stock up their stem cells for the future. Being obtained from the endometrium, these cells can play a significant role in the treatment of gynecological diseases, in particular."
Researchers report that stem cells from the endometrium can be used in cosmetology – for example, for rejuvenation of the body and skin, treatment and strengthening of hair; in dentistry – for the treatment of teeth and gums; in traumatology – in the treatment of burns, wounds, skin damage and fractures. In addition, they may be able to be used in the treatment of degenerative diseases – neuralgia, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart or limb disease, inflammatory diseases and skin diseases.
Despite the fact that it was reported in the media that researchers from Japan and the USA first proposed to obtain stem cells from the endometrium of the uterus and menstrual blood, in fact, Russian specialists were the "pioneers" in this matter.
Raisa Musina says: "It was I, in fact, who first discovered stem cells in the endometrium, which comes out during menstruation, and our patent application is proof of that. The application is dated 2004, which indicates our unconditional superiority. Only four years later, the Japanese reported on such a thing at a conference in the USA."
Menstrual blood, according to the authors of the study, can be considered as one of the most accessible sources of mesenchymal stem cells – when receiving them, the donor absolutely does not suffer.
Evgenia Dorogova, "Living Systems", for STRF.ruPortal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru