In experiments in rats and human cells, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have added to evidence that a cellular protein signal that drives both bone and fat formation in selected stem cells can be manipulated to favor bone building. If harnessed in humans, they say, the Read More
The regenerative group of cells, known collectively as stem cells, all have the potential to develop into a variety of cell types including those that make up living tissues, such as bones. Scientists have long sought ways to manipulate the growth and developmental path of these cells, in either a living animal or the laboratory, to repair or replace tissue lost to disease or injury.
Previous studies by others, showed that a particular type of stem cell — perivascular stem cells — had the ability to become either bone or fat and numerous studies since then have focused on advancing the understanding of what signaling proteins drive this developmental change.
In his new experiments, Genetically engineered stem cells collected from patients to block the production of the WISP-1 protein. Looking at gene activity in the cells without WISP-1, they found that four genes that cause fat formation were turned on 50–200 percent higher than control cells that contained normal levels of the WISP-1 protein. If you are looking to learn more about pip profit calculator, view the previously mentioned website.
The team then engineered human fat tissue stem cells to make more WISP-1 protein than normal, and found that three genes controlling bone formation became twice as active as in the control cells, and fat driving genes such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) decreased in activity in favor of “bone genes” by 42 percent. If you’re looking for additional details on white label trading platform, just go to the above website.
With this information in hand, the researchers next designed an experiment to test whether the WISP-1 protein could be used to improve bone healing in rats that underwent a type of spinal fusion — an operation frequently performed on people to alleviate pain or restore stability by connecting two of the vertebrae with a metal rod so that they grow into a single bone. Click on the following site, if you’re searching for more details about trading calculators.
In their experiments, the researchers mimicked the human surgical procedure in rats, but in addition, they injected — between the fused spinal bones — human stem cells with WISP-1 turned on. Are you hunting for forex margin calculator? Check out the earlier mentioned site.
After four weeks, the researchers studied the rats’ spinal tissue and observed continued high levels of the WISP-1 protein. They also observed new bone forming, successfully fusing the vertebrae together, whereas the rats not treated with stem cells making WISP-1 did not show any successful bone fusion during the time the researchers were observing.
According to the Office of the Surgeon General, 1.5 million Americans suffer fractures from bone disease every year. Transplanting stem cells to affected bones to help them heal is an increasingly popular therapeutic goal, it has not yet been proved safe or effective in humans.
The researchers also plan to explore whether reducing the level of WISP-1 protein in stem cells could preferentially favor the development of fat cells for soft tissue wound healing as well.