New Source of Stem Cells: Amniotic Fluid

Scientific American ^ | January 07, 2007 | Nikhil Swaminathan

[neverdem]

Image: IMAGE COURTESY OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER
STEM CELLS WITHIN: Scientists have discovered that stem cells derived from amniotic fluid are pluripotent, able to divide into many of the types of cells that make up the human body's tissues.
Isolation of amniotic stem cell lines with potential for therapy (abstract)

Stem cells capable of differentiating to multiple lineages may be valuable for therapy. We report the isolation of human and rodent amniotic fluid–derived stem (AFS) cells that express embryonic and adult stem cell markers. Undifferentiated AFS cells expand extensively without feeders, double in 36 h and are not tumorigenic. Lines maintained for over 250 population doublings retained long telomeres and a normal karyotype. AFS cells are broadly multipotent. Clonal human lines verified by retroviral marking were induced to differentiate into cell types representing each embryonic germ layer, including cells of adipogenic, osteogenic, myogenic, endothelial, neuronal and hepatic lineages. Examples of differentiated cells derived from human AFS cells and displaying specialized functions include neuronal lineage cells secreting the neurotransmitter L-glutamate or expressing G-protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels, hepatic lineage cells producing urea, and osteogenic lineage cells forming tissue-engineered bone.

Go to the link if you're interested in the references which are linked.

[neverdem]

SC Ping

[Arm_Bears]

NARAL is deeply saddened.

[Coleus]

Adult stem-cell breakthroughs

Amniotic fluid used successfully instead of stem cells

Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Provide Another ESCR Alternative

Heart Valves Grown From Womb Fluid Cells

The Stem Cell Cover-Up By Michael Fumento

Report: Amniotic Fluid Yields Stem Cells
Researchers say amniotic fluid yields stem cells
Amniotic fluid a promising stem cell source

[right-wingin_It]

The miscarriage rate for amniocentesis is 0.25-0.5% (1 in 200), so it will be interesting to see what position Catholic clergy take. As a Catholic, in my understanding, I suspect they would NOT be in favor of cells derived from an amniocenteses. However, I don't see any problems if the AFS cells are derived from a placenta after-birth, which was the other method of obtaining these cells.

So that would be a positive. However, I don't think this new AFS cell research would satisfy the appetite out there for the use embryonic stem cells (just as adult stem cell research has not). Scientifically, there are difference between all three types of stem cells (adult, embryonic, and amniotic fluid). The AF have properties of both adult and embryonic stem cells, but are closer to embryonic.

So the main thing is not to let the media spin anything...closed down the debate...etc. So us pro-lifers still got to call our representatives and tell 'em to vote NO on HR 3!

[SuziQ]

I was always against amniocentesis because folks used it for 'search and destroy' missions. I had my last baby at age 37, and NJ required docs to inform women my age that there was a greater danger of birth defects like Down's Syndrome and Spina Bifida. I told my doctor that I wasn't interested in an amnio because I had no interest in killing my baby if it had any birth defects.

I asked him if there were anything he'd need to know prior to the baby's birth, and he said that he would take special precautions during delivery. I asked him if there were any other way to determine if the baby had that condition, and he said that an x-ray would do that, so that's what we did. The baby was fine, and I knew he wouldn't be insistent because he was pro-life.

[gridlock]

I'm of two minds about this. I will have to educate myself.

[neverdem]

I will have to educate myself.

Dorland's Medical Dictionary

I saved it to my favorites.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

ping

[neverdem]

Full fat milk makes you thinner - Swedish study

Who paid for that study? Source affects outcome

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[Salvation]

I heard this story today. Wow -- it will surely derail the stem cell votes in Congress. At least, postpone them.

[neverdem]

I heard this story today. Wow -- it will surely derail the stem cell votes in Congress. At least, postpone them.

I'm still somewhat awestruck by Dr. Atala's claim of no teratomas, and that banking 100,000 samples of amniotic fluid will provide identical tissue matches for 99 percent of our population needing transplants. Politically, I'd like to see Bush go on the offense.

[PGalt]

Great news! BTTT!

[Mrs. Don-o]

I tend to agree with the most conservative of the ethicists, like Leon Kass (Jewish), Paul Ramsey (Methodist), and William E. May (Catholic), that it is unethical to subject a baby to risk unless it is for the benefit of the baby himself.

Thus, amniocentesis to detect abnormalities which would motivate an abortion: NO

Amniocentesis to benefit medical research "in general": NO

Amniocentesis to detect abnormalities which would motivate more specialized care during pregnancy and delivery: YES

The concept of "banking" amnotic fluid whould be, maybe, a gray area. IF the purpose is to bank cells which would later benefit the baby himself in later life, as well as others, it would arguably be a YES; but IF there's a less-risky way of obtaining these cells, without anmiocentesis, e.g. by collecting fluids from the placenta and cord and other afterbirth tissues, then I think one might be morally obliged to wait until you can get the afterbirth cells, without risk to the baby.

I doubt that the Catholic Church will issue any binding statements on this, until the facts concerning risks and benefits are made sufficiently clear by the sceintific/medical authorities.

[hocndoc]

I bought the article, so FReepmail me with your email address if you want me to send the pdf. I may be slow, today - tons to do - but, I'll get it done by early in the AM.

The methods and results are very clear - and here's the conclusion from the article:
We conclude that the AFS cells are indeed broad-spectrum multipotent (that is, pluripotent) stem cells.

[hocndoc]

Pinging to post 15.

The cells are also found in the placenta - so can be harvested without risk to the baby.

[MHGinTN]

"Wow -- it will surely derail the stem cell votes in Congress. At least, postpone them." No, the congressional plan is not about protecting embryonic aged humans, it's about funding pets and the democrats now control the flow of legislation so it is ridiculous to believe democrats would slow their pets down from votes ... this will, however, make the President's case for vetoing stronger and that alone might make the democrats pause.

[hocndoc]

I wasn't clear - I've got the pdf of the study. I reviewed and quoted some of it at my blog
http://www.lifeethics.org/www.lifeethics.org/2007/01/pluripotent-amnioticplacental-stem.html

[PGalt]

Thanks for the link & your work.

[maica]

Rush has just played Harry Reid asking the demfriendly media not to run such stories on the eve of a Congressional hearing that might be affected by such reporting.


Seriously, Harry Reid is recorded making that statement.