Human stem cells offer tremendous hope for the development of revolutionary medical treatments for a variety of human health problems including damaged muscle tissue, bone injuries and nerve damage. However, such research has been slowed by ethical controversy and difficulty in obtaining the rare cells themselves.
Researchers at the Florida State University in Tallahassee have created a device called a perfusion bioreactor that is designed to mimic conditions encountered by adult stem cells within the human body. The reactor bathes stem cell samples in a protein-rich liquid while also simulating the flow of the body’s circulatory system. The investigators hope this invention will overcome the current problems of stem cell sourcing.
Essentially the perfusion bioreactor delivers critical nutrients to stem cells in a similar way to the body. By altering that flow of nutrients to the stem cells, researchers hope to control what type of cell they ultimately will become.
“The perfusion bioreactor can be used to reproduce mesenchymal stem cells and to direct their differentiation into bone, cartilage, muscle, heart muscle, fat or nerve tissue,” said Teng Ma, an assistant professor at the Florida A&M University-FSU College of Engineering. “The tissues grown then will be suitable for clinical transplantation.”