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news.Scientists have discovered a new source of stems cells from amniotic fluid and have used them to create muscle, bone, fat, blood vessel, nerve and liver cells in the laboratory.
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Researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine discovered a small number of stem cells in amniotic fluid – estimated at 1% – that can give rise to many of the specialized cell types found in the human body. The scientists believe the newly discovered stem cells, which they have named amniotic fluid-derived stem (AFS) cells, may represent an intermediate stage between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.
Stem cells have the potential to generate a broad range of mature cell types which many scientists believe could replace tissue in conditions such as spinal cord injuries, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. However, obtaining stem cells is problematic as it requires the creation of a human embryo. The advantage of these cells is that they are readily available from amniocentesis and afterbirth.
“Our hope is that these cells will provide a valuable resource for tissue repair and for engineered organs as well,” said Anthony Atala, senior researcher and director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Atala said a bank with 100,000 specimens theoretically could supply 99% of the US population with perfect genetic matches for transplantation. There are more than four million live births each year in the US.