According to the scientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, adult stem cells discovered in the bulge of hair follicles may ensure an alternative to embryonic stem cells.
Like embryonic stem cells, these epidermal neural crest stem cells show a high degree of plasticity, may be isolated at high levels of purity, and then can be expanded in culture, the scientists explained.
Moreover, similar to other kinds of adult stem cells, the epidermal neural crest stem cells can be harvested in a minimally invasive procedure. In other words, it can be possible to use a patient’s own hair as source for stem cell therapy.
Promising results in mice
The investigators examined the epidermal neural crest stem cells in mice and achieved hopeful findings.
"We grafted the cells into mice that have spinal cord injuries and were encouraged by the results. The cells survived and integrated into the spinal cord, remaining at the site of transplantation and not forming tumours," lead scientist Maya Sieber-Blum, a professor of cell biology, neurobiology and anatomy, said in a prepared statement.
The results were published in a latest issue of the journal Stem Cells: The International Journal of Cell Differentiation and Proliferation.
These kinds of cells can appear to be useful in the treatment of a various conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke.
"We see the potential for cell-replacement therapy in which patients can be their own donors, which would avoid ethical issues [connected with embryonic stem cells] and decrease the likelihood of tissue incompatibility," Sieber-Blum explained.
