Embryonic cells of the highest grade
To create embryonic stem cells suitable for use in clinical practice, researchers at King's College London completely abandoned animal cells and other animal products commonly used in the isolation and cultivation of embryonic cells, and carried out all procedures in compliance with certified conditions.
The new cells have been deposited in the UK state stem cell bank and will soon become available to interested European institutions. According to the head of the work, Peter Braude, all existing cell lines of this type are inferior in quality to the cells created by his group.
The work with the new cells required approximately 3 million pounds (4.7 million US dollars). Most of these funds were spent on the creation of infrastructure that provides the possibility of creating additional cell lines suitable for use in the clinic.
The new cells are not the first embryonic cells to meet clinical requirements. Currently, two small clinical trials using embryonic stem cells are already being conducted. One of them is devoted to the treatment of spinal cord injuries (unfortunately, the inclusion of new patients in this study has recently been discontinued for financial reasons), and the second is the therapy of age–related macular degeneration. The start of another clinical study of the treatment of macular degeneration using embryonic stem cells is planned for the near future. However, during these studies, cells are used, at the first stages of the creation of which animal products intended for research work were used. After conducting numerous tests, the scientists brought these cells into line with clinical requirements.
In 2007, a Singapore-based research group created 6 cell lines suitable for use in clinical practice, which also used animal products. These cell lines are available to researchers funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
However, Brody argues that the safest from a clinical point of view are cells that have never come into contact with mouse feeder (used as a "substrate") cells or embryonic calf serum, traditionally used as sources of nutrients and growth factors for embryonic stem cell lines. He also notes that the new cell line has been successfully tested for infection with viruses and mycoplasma, as well as for the presence of genetic abnormalities.
Upon completion of additional quality testing, the UK Stem Cell Bank will open access to new cells. Two additional lines have also been created that meet the ethical and quality standards prescribed in the EU Directive on Tissues and Cells, so European scientists will be able to start working with new cells in the near future. The rest will have to wait a little longer, as the ethical and quality standards applied to the cells vary from country to country.
Brody notes that, despite the high quality of the new cell lines, it will take several more years before they can be used in clinical trials. Moreover, it is impossible to exclude the possibility that further testing will reveal genetic abnormalities or other problems incompatible with clinical use.
Article by Ilic et al. Derivation and feeder-free propagation of human embryonic stem cells under xeno-free conditions is published in the journal Cytotherapy.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru09.12.2011