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Scientists Grow Human Thymus From Stem Cells
knight_23 writes: "The Herald
Sun reports
that Australian researchers have grown a functioning thymus from stem cells. The
thymus is a small organ that is critical to the immune system. Human trials could
begin within two years."
IN a world first, Melbourne scientists have successfully grown an organ from stem cells.
A team from Monash Medical School grew a functioning thymus, a small organ that is critical to the immune system. Human trials could begin within two years.
Stem cells are the body's building blocks and have unlimited capacity to grow and replace all the cells within a particular tissue or organ.
"When I realised what we had finally done after 15 years of research, I went weak at the knees," Professor Richard Boyd said.
He said understanding the thymus, located near the heart, was the holy grail of immunology.
Professor Boyd believes the discovery will be an important part of a cure for many diseases of the immune system such as cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis and diabetes. It should also help prevent rejection in people who have an organ transplant.
Professor Boyd referred to the thymus as the fountain of youth.
"Without a functioning immune system you get a disease called death,"he said.
"This organ, along with bone marrow, is the engine room of the immune system.
"It is the key to good health because without it, the body has no protection against any viruses."
Professor Boyd said despite its importance for immunity, the thymus went into hibernation naturally once humans reach puberty.
"This may be why many auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and cancers and infections increase in adults."
Professor Boyd said his team, led by Dr Jason Gill, was working on rebuilding the immune system by "rebooting" the thymus into action.
The Monash scientists put thymus stem cells into the kidney cavity of a mouse.
"To see the thymus grow, complete and working, was exciting," Professor Boyd said.
"We were looking at the missing link, that final piece of the jigsaw."
Professor Boyd said the mouse immune system was similar to a human's.
"The clinical trials indicate that the human thymus responds in the same way as a mouse, which is why we are confident this will translate very easily to humans," he said.
The thymus produces, educates and distributes special white cells called T lymphocytes (T-cells) which help to controlthe immune system and fight infection.
But T-cells are destroyed when cancer patients undergo chemotherapy and also by the AIDS virus. The cellsare also suppressed in people who have had organ transplants.
There has been limited success with thymus transplants, which are usually rejected by recipients. Stem cell therapy may offer a more reliable alternative.
Professor Boyd said he was confident the transition from animal to human clinical trials would be quick - "because it has to be".
He said the discovery fits "beautifully" with the global picture of Melbourne as a world leader in stem cell research.
"This really is a Melbourne story. It was created by Melbourne scientists and its international commercial capabilities are being explored by Norwood Abbey, a Melbourne-based biotechnology company that has exclusive rights to the science."
Professor Boyd said the international science journal Nature Immunology would publish details of the research today.
Same quality? Sorry, using your own adult stem cells is the way to go for two reasons
1. Since their genetically identical, you don't have to worry about rejection and immune suppressors for the rest of your life. Adult stem cell procedures are a one time cost. Fetal cell procedures are a continuing cost.
2. You don't have to enhance the profitability of big abortion. The abortion industry makes good money off of baby body parts. No thanks.
I keep hearing that the best grade of stem cells are embryonic but I never seem to get any evidence that this is so, just a lot of hemming and hawing at the early stage the research is in.
From what I understand, embryonic stem cells have three patrons, the researchers, the pharma companies who increase their market for immunosuppressors, and the abortion industry who makes a buck from harvesting the cells.
Adult stem cells have 2 patrons, the researchers and the pro-life movement.
The hype board is stacked against adult cells but that doesn't mean that embryonic is the best.
I firmly believe that once nanotechnology becomes advanced enough, most other forms of medicine will disappear. There will be no reason to mess with exotic pharmaceutical compounds when you can have little machines roving around your body, "fixing" things mechanically...