Stem cells from amniotic fluid

A device has been created for the safe collection of stem cells during cesarean section

Yulia Vorobyova, Vesti

Amniotic fluid, or amniotic fluid, surrounding and protecting the baby in the mother's womb, has always been considered so-called medical waste. But after the discovery of stem cells, it became clear that there is a lot of this precious material in the amniotic fluid (as in umbilical cord blood, for example).

Recall that stem cells are valuable for science because they can endlessly divide (even after a person's death) and develop into any type of cell. This property allows them to be used in cell therapy and regenerative medicine – to restore damaged organs and tissues and even create them from scratch.

However, modern methods of collecting stem cells are either invasive or painful (as in the case of bone marrow), or ethically contradictory (for example, working with human embryos), or "low-yielding" (as in the collection of cells from umbilical cord blood). Therefore, researchers are developing new ways to obtain stem cells.

One of them was presented by a team from Lund University (Amniotic fluid is a rich source of stem cells – that can now be harvested).

This is a multi-stage method of collecting and subsequent processing of stem cells from amniotic fluid, which will require a specially designed device. According to the authors, their method will allow obtaining stem cells in large quantities, and the collection of amniotic fluid will occur in an absolutely safe way. In addition, scientists will be able to subsequently use not only stem cells, but also valuable bioactive molecules also contained in the fluid surrounding the baby. The special device in question is constructed from bioinert plastic using three-dimensional printing technologies. First, a large volume of amniotic fluid is taken using the device, then it is passed through a filter with microscopic cells, and after that the liquid is sent to a special centrifuge to isolate mesenchymal stem cells.

These cells have previously shown a high therapeutic potential in the fight against immune diseases and inflammatory processes inside the body. For example, they can be used to treat diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. However, their use was previously limited, since this type of cells can be isolated from other tissues of the body only in very small quantities. "We have shown that with the help of our device it is possible to collect up to a liter of amniotic fluid during a cesarean section. This process will prolong the operation by only 90 seconds and will be safe for both mother and child," says the study's lead author Andreas Herbst.

Article by Moraghebi et al. Term amniotic fluid: an unexplained reserve of mesenchymal stromal cells for reprogramming and potential cell therapy applications published in the journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy – VM.

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