In the prime of life
It was found that adolescent stem cells can cope with the restoration of heart tissue
MIPT blog, Naked Science
Biophysicists from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) and the Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute named after M. F. Vladimirsky have determined the optimal age of reprogrammed stem cells, which is suitable for the restoration of heart tissue. This is the period from about the 15th to the 28th day of maturation.
The results of the study are published in the journal Scientific Reports (Slotvitsky et al., Formation of an electrical coupling between differentiating cardiomyocytes).
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are used for the development of regenerative medicine. These are cells derived from human blood. With the help of special chemical procedures, cells can be "rejuvenated" to stem cells and then reprogrammed into human tissue cells. In this way, "own" cells for humans are obtained, which can be used to restore tissues in the body.
Previously, it was believed that mature cells, aged a month or two, should be used to restore heart tissue. A team of scientists led by Konstantin Agladze decided to check what the optimal age of reprogrammed stem cells would be. The researchers implanted stem cells (iPSCs) in various stages of maturation into a model system based on human heart tissue culture.
To determine the quality of the formed cardiac tissue, scientists performed "optical mapping": excitation waves were launched on the model cardiac tissue. Such a "check" simulates the work of the heart tissue in the human body: in order for our heart to contract correctly, the wave of excitation must propagate through the fibers in a coordinated manner.
It turned out that the cells planted in the period from the 15th to the 28th day of maturation create a single excitable system with the heart cells of the model culture. Those that are planted after the 28th day of maturation do not create such a system.
"We found that those cells that were transplanted after the 28th day from the start of differentiation can no longer be used, because they do not combine with the heart tissue. They grow to it, but they are not functional, they do not create unity with cardiac fibers," says Konstantin Agladze, head of the Laboratory of Biophysics of excitable Systems at MIPT.
The Laboratory of Biophysics of Excitable Systems at MIPT is engaged in fundamental research in the field of regenerative medicine in relation to cardiomyocytes, heart tissue cells. The task of such studies is to give recommendations to those who are engaged in the practical implementation of regenerative methods.
The result of this study is important because it determines the "window of opportunity" during which stem cells are best suited for tissue repair. The research was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
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