Another Adult Stem Cell Source

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Scientists are now working with many populations of adult stem cells in the body, and are improving in efforts to demonstrate multipotency in these cells. Easily accessed sources of multipotent cells will go a long way to enabling the commercialization of first generation regenerative therapies. Here, ABC notes another new source: "Japanese researchers have harvested stem cells from human menstrual blood, a medical conference has heard. ... these stem cells could be coaxed into forming specialised heart cells, which might one-day be used to treat failing or damaged hearts. ... he and his colleagues at Keio University in Tokyo collected menstrual blood from six women and harvested stem cells that originated in the lining of the uterus. They were able to obtain about 30 times more stem cells from menstrual blood than from bone marrow ... the stem cells were then cultured in a way to induce them to become heart cells."

Link: http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish_1590861.htm