A group of researchers has just developed a new technique to create functional arterial cells using stem cells. This technique could help them develop new forms of treatment for cardiovascular disease. The breakthrough was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Scientists have been trying to repair arteries for many years. That’s because many different forms of heart disease involve the arteries being damaged or blocked. This breakthrough is very exciting because it could lead to a cure for some forms of heart disease.
Heart disease is currently the number one cause of death in the United States. The term actually refers to a group of conditions including coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and peripheral artery disease. Many of these conditions involve the arteries that carry blood to and from the heart.
The authors of the study devised new methods for creating arterial endothelial cells using stem cells. Arterial endothelial cells are capable of making new arteries and repairing arteries.
The arterial endothelial cells were tested on mice with dying heart tissue. The cells began to repair the arteries of the mice, greatly improved their survival rate.
This is a very exciting discovery because cardiovascular disease is extremely common in the developed world. Approximately one-in-three Americans will die from cardiovascular disease, which makes it more dangerous than cancer.
Scientists were previously able to make generic endothelial cells using stem cells, but they were of little value for treating heart disease. Arterial endothelial cells appear to be much more valuable.
The authors of this new study also discovered that growth factors like insulin can slow the cell differentiation of arterial endothelial cells. They created a protocol for arterial cell development, so other researchers can make good use of their work.
If the same process works in human tests, artery banks could be created using stem cells. When a patient has a problem with their arteries, they could simply receive a transplant of arterial endothelial cells to help their body regenerate their arteries.
Source: Bioengineered Arteries Grown from Stem Cells
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