Stem cells are not able to speak as humans do, but they can definitely communicate to other cells for very important and specific processes according to Information provided by Medical University of Vienna.
Read on to learn more about the “language of stem cells”!
Scientist from Markus Hengstschläger’s team at the Institute of Medical Genetics of MedUni Vienna demonstrated that stem cells can control the cells around them, inducing them to perform specific functions. This phenomenon has now been discovered for the very first time and it has recently been published in leading journal Nature Communications.
The leading scientists demonstrated that human pluripotent stem cells communicate with other body cells by emitting signal proteins. These signals mediated by specific proteins “speak” to cells in the surrounding tissue, causing them to migrate from where they are to other locations to eventually accomplish specific functions.
“It is really fascinating to see the effect of the changes triggered by stem cells on somatic cells,” says Margit Rosner, lead author of the publication.
But why is it important to discover this “cell language”?
Many clinical trials around the world are already using these stem cells to develop new treatments for such conditions as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes), heart attacks as well as a large number of rare genetic and inflammatory diseases. The therapy principle is to use stem cell transplantation to regenerate damaged tissue and organs and restore their function. However, pluripotent stem cells can also cause patients to develop tumors.
So, do stem cell treatments cause tumors? Although stem cell therapies have been shown to be a very safe therapy, a long-recognized problem is that pluripotent stem cells can also cause a small percentage of patients to develop tumors (usually benign). The importance of the finding we are talking about is that for the first time, the MedUni Vienna researchers have shown that stem cells have to attract normal cells from the surrounding body tissue using their own particular “language” in order to be able to form such tumors.
Authors of the study were able to demonstrate that the development of stem cell tumors can be effectively inhibited by blocking this mechanism,” says Markus Hengstschläger, Chairman of the Institute of Medical Genetics. The discovery of this property of stem cells and its significance represents a major step in the safe therapeutic application of pluripotent stem cells in humans.
The Stem Cells Transplant Institute in Costa Rica is always seeking to keep our patients informed of the latest news in stem cell research. It is important to mention that the stem cells that have rarely caused tumors in patients are pluripotent stem cells, and our institute uses adult autologous stem cells, which are safe and effective with no risk of tumor formation. The Stem Cells Transplant Institute in Costa Rica uses safe stem cell therapies. Contact us for more information.
