Cells for craniofacial surgery
Stem cells will help restore a person's skull and face after injury
Margarita Paimakova, Vesti
Stem cells involved in the formation of the skull and facial bones were discovered by a team of scientists from the University of Rochester Medical Center (Scientists Discover Stem Cells Capable of Repairing the Skull, Face Bones).
The initial goal of the researchers was to find ways to treat craniosynostosis using stem cells. This disease is one of the most common craniofacial deformities. As a rule, it manifests itself in infancy and often leads to developmental delays and increased intracranial pressure, life-threatening.
Due to various limitations, reconstruction of extensive bone defects of the skull still remains a very difficult task for surgeons. Therefore, there is a need for alternative methods of surgical recovery.
The team led by Wei Hsu seems to have found an opportunity to help people with injuries and birth defects. Scientists have spent years in the laboratory studying the functions of the Axin2 gene and mutations that cause craniosynostosis in mice.
Scientists focused on the study of the activity of cells in which the Axin2 gene is active, and on their role in the formation and regeneration of bone tissue. As it turned out, stem cells that allow bone reconstruction can be isolated from cells with high activity of the Axin2 gene (approximately 1% of the total number of stem cells). These cells are located on the midline of the skull.
The scientists then conducted laboratory tests used to identify skeletal stem cells, which can also be useful for treating diseases caused by stem cell abnormalities.
These stem cells can be used to develop new alternative methods of reconstructive surgery to replace deformed craniofacial bones due to disease, injury or cancer. In addition, the researchers are confident that one day such technologies will allow not to look for facial bone donors for so-called face transplants.
Article by Maruyama et al. Stem cells of the suture mesenchyme in craniofacial bone development, repair and regeneration is published in the journal Nature Communications.
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03.02.2015