Umbilical cord blood contains cells called mesenchymal stem cells, which are capable of produce a variety of cell types, including muscle, bone, and chondrocytes. Recently, a group of scientists in Brazil could produce chondrocytes, the cells involved in the production of cartilage using growth factors defined umbilical cord blood. This is important because the use of growth conditions will set high yield production of a pure population of cells that will be suitable for clinical applications. For therapy in regenerative medicine, be able to use your own cells has many advantages.
This study opens the possibility that your bank UCB unit can be used to regenerate cartilage to repair future knee problems.
Source: Chondrogenesis from umbilical cord blood cells stimulated with BMP-2 and BMP-6
Mara CS, Duarte AS, Sartori-Cintra AR , Luzo AC Saad ST, Coimbra IB. .
Laboratory of Molecular Biology of cartilage, Division of Rheumatology, Clinical Department of Medicine, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP, R. Vital Brasil, 50, Prédio FCM 08, Campus Universitário Barão Geraldo, Campinas, SP Brazil, cristianesdm@uol.com.br. PMID: 22238025 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]
- Ian Rogers PhD