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Stem
cells from a type of human fat tissue may one day be able to
reverse the electrical problems in the heart that pacemakers
now correct, Japanese scientists report.Researchers grew
"beating" cells with properties similar to the heart's
conductive tissue from stem cells taken from the brown fat
tissue of mice. They then injected them into rodents with
reduced heart rates caused by atrioventricular (AV)
block.After a week, the AV block was completely reversed or
partially reversed in half of the test mice. No change was
observed in the control mice, the researcher said.The
beating cells, which researchers colored green so they would
be easy to see, were found to have attached near the section
of the heart that manages its electrical conduction
systems."Electronic pacemakers are often used as palliative
therapy for people who have conduction problems with the
electrical signals that govern the heart beat. However, that
therapy has several shortcomings, including possible
malfunction and the need for repeated replacement of the
device's power packs and electrodes," according to the lead
author at Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine in
Chiba, Japan. "Cell therapy could overcome those problems
and provide a possible cure for conductive disease. Our goal
is to create a biological pacemaker," he added. Brown fat
tissue is a source of mesenchymal stem cells, which previous
studies have shown can develop into many different types of
cells, such as bone, neuron, muscle, liver and fat cells.
After isolating these cells in a laboratory, the Japanese
team managed to grow groups of spontaneously beating cells.
One tube-like group of cells resembled the heart's fine
muscle fiber, while all contained two proteins, chemical
markers and other similarities to the heart's own
pacemaker-like cells. |