South Korean scientists could soon give hope to millions of patients with vision loss. Thanks to the injection of placental mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), these researchers successfully repaired blood vessels in the back of the eye that are often considered to be the source of many retinal diseases. In addition, the team achieved this by using cells that are generally thrown away!
Forgotten cells
MSCs are one of the most studied types of stem cells in clinical research to date, due to their regenerative potential in almost all of the organs in the body. Unfortunately, they are only found in small quantity in adults and often require bone marrow aspiration to be properly isolated. Their discovery in the placental amniotic membrane greatly simplifies the task of both doctors and researchers. This tissue, often considered useless after giving birth, is usually thrown away without second thought. Claiming this medical treasure necessitates much less effort than traditional bone marrow aspiration.
Accessibility is not the only advantage of the placental cells. For team leader Dr Jisook Moon, placental MSC produce much greater amount of molecules essential for retinal regeneration than conventional MSCs, especially those working on damaged blood vessels. It is possible to consult their work in Cell Transplantation.