Research Team succeed in growing human stem cells outside of the body
We are delighted to be able to provide a further update on last the 2/3 month’s work which has brought about a significant breakthrough in the research programme that LAPR&D is funding. The research project aims to prove that it is possible to take liver cells out of the body and get them to survive and grow. We reported previously that the research began with animal samples. It has now progressed to human cells with 90 samples taken from 103 patients who have liver disease. The research is now concentrating on how to sustain human liver cells outside of the body in the laboratory.
The 2 fourth year medical student researchers, funded by LAPR&D, have studied what make the cells grow and what happens to the DNA/nucleus of the cell. They have conducted 97 experiments to date and have now progressed onto working with stem cells. They have confirmed that by adding an epidermal growth factor (EGF) and small protein (VIP, Vaso-Intestinal peptide) improves the survival rate of the liver cells and stem cells have been isolated. This is important as they are essential for the future production of the liver.
The results are to be published in Faculty of Medical Annual Conference and Hepatology (Journal of AASLD, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases)
Future plans are to study how to transform stem cells into a functioning liver; grow the liver as a 3D functioning organ where the cells aggregate together and stay together and to inject human stem cells into the liver of a live mouse to see if they survive/grow.
This is the end of the first year of LAPR&D research into stem cells. As a result of this tremendous progress we are extending our research programme funding for a further 2 years. If you wish to donate to ensure this research continues please visit the "Donate" section on our homepage
April 2016
The 2 fourth year medical student researchers, funded by LAPR&D, have studied what make the cells grow and what happens to the DNA/nucleus of the cell. They have conducted 97 experiments to date and have now progressed onto working with stem cells. They have confirmed that by adding an epidermal growth factor (EGF) and small protein (VIP, Vaso-Intestinal peptide) improves the survival rate of the liver cells and stem cells have been isolated. This is important as they are essential for the future production of the liver.
The results are to be published in Faculty of Medical Annual Conference and Hepatology (Journal of AASLD, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases)
Future plans are to study how to transform stem cells into a functioning liver; grow the liver as a 3D functioning organ where the cells aggregate together and stay together and to inject human stem cells into the liver of a live mouse to see if they survive/grow.
This is the end of the first year of LAPR&D research into stem cells. As a result of this tremendous progress we are extending our research programme funding for a further 2 years. If you wish to donate to ensure this research continues please visit the "Donate" section on our homepage
April 2016
