Pioneering induction of bone formation using embryonic stem cells
29 May 2008
Researchers at the University of Twente break new ground by successfully creating bone tissue “in vivo”, using embryonic stem cells. They imitated bone formation in embryos and children, which uses cartilage as a template. This new approach appears to be a promising way of repairing bone defects. This week, the researchers’ findings are presented in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Previous attempts to create bone using embryonic stem cells were unsuccessful. In the lab, there was clear evidence that these stem cells were differentiating into the bone lineage “in vitro”, however this process stalled after implantation and no bone tissue was formed. Yet, this approach did lead to bone formation when cultured adult stem cells from bone marrow were used. This direct approach is, amongst others, involved in the formation of the bone found in the skull. The researchers at Twente have now adopted a different approach.
Read more : http://www.utwente.nl/nieuws/pers/en/cont_08-022_en.doc/