Using molecules as a sign of biological identification on stem cells: supporting treatment methods.

A sugar molecule found in embryonic stem cells has also been found on the surface of an adult stem cell, according to a report by scientists at the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center. This discovery could help scientists isolate and purify adult stem cells for use in bone healing, ligament treatment and cartilage repair.

This molecule, called SSEA-4 , is found on the surface of certain stem cells in the bone marrow, producing fat, cartilage and bone. These so-called mesenchymal cells are tiny components of the bone marrow; Most bone marrow is made up of hematopoietic stem cells that produce blood and immune cells.

SSEA-4 molecule
(Photo: Biocompare.com)

Dr. Rita Perlingeiro, associate professor of molecular biology and development center, said finding SSEA-4 molecules would support the selection of mesenchymel stem cells or MSCs to serve more detailed scientific research, as well as possible medical applications. These cells showed signs of success in early clinical studies, studies in which scientists tested the function of cells in treating bone defects and reduces the effects of bone loss in diseases such as osteoporosis.

This research is now available online and will be published in the February 15 issue of ' Blood '.

Although mesenchyme cells were discovered in the 1970s, scientists still use old methods to remove us from the bone marrow, said Dr. Perlingeiro, who led the study.

The use of sugars to signal biological identification will strengthen scientists' ability to acquire more homogeneous and ' pure' MCS types. It is a very important consideration, for example, in applications such as tissue engineering, for example, only bone-producing cells are needed. Cells like these are being tested by a lot of scientists to know their ability to develop fat, cartilage and bone on special trusses made of materials made in artificial organs. For the purpose of creating soft tissue to treat bone defects or to increase bone mass or to support the bones because the age or disease becomes brittle.

'With more pure cells, you will definitely have a more effective therapy,' Dr. Perlingeiro said.

Cell mesenchyme
(Photo: vet.uga.edu, Dost-DongNai)

SSEA-4 molecules lie on the surface of embryonic stem cells as well as on embryonic carcinoma cells, malignant copies of embryonic stem cells.

Ongoing studies by Dr. Perlingeiro also show that the SSEA-4 molecule may also be present in other tissues, leading to the interesting possibility that, SSEA-4 molecule may be a sign to identify 'stored information about embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells'.

'Discovering this molecule on MCS is a surprising and important discovery in expanding our understanding of the biological nature of adult stem cells,' Dr. Perlingeiro said. 'We are also interested in whether SSEA-4 is expressed on other stem cells, such as muscle cells, or not.'

Dr. Perlingeiro and her team are studying the relationship between SSEA-4 molecules and cancer stem cells, the cells in the tumor behave like stem cells, in that they recover and maintain themselves. cancer maintenance even when most tumors have been destroyed by radiation or chemotherapy.

'Will the expression of the molecule identify this stem cell more clearly in the tumor?' 'If the answer is yes, perhaps it will be very helpful in identifying cancer stem cells, but we still don't know the answer,' Dr. Perlingeiro said. 'It will be a very useful application, not only in the treatment of instructions but also in the detection of early cancer and possibly even the prevention of cancer.'

Thanh Van