3D Biodegradable Scaffolds Aid Stem Cell Research

Scientists in Montreal, Canada have developed a way to deliver stromal cells (pluripotent stem cells originating from bone marrow) into the body, that significantly improves their chances of survival. The technology involves the use of a three-dimensional (3D) biodegradable scaffold make of a polymer that, once established in within the body, degrades over time, leaving behind the cells it delivered. The scaffold may revolutionalize gene therapy by harbouring the stem cells under conditions that mimic normal cellular conditions and allowing them to proliferate. Until now, research has indicated that up to 95% of stromal cells die once injected, during gene therapy. Experiments have shown that cells that release a protein used to treat anemia proliferated when injected into mice using the scaffold as a delivery mechanism. The technology is also being investigated for treatment of hemophilia and it is anticipated that human clinical trials may be possible within a few years.

The research is part of a collaborative project between the National Research Council of Canada, the Jewish General Hospital of Montreal, and McGill University. Some additional possible applications for this technology are in regenerative medicine; For example, tissue engineering for burn victims and reconstructive surgery involving cartilage.

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3D Scaffolds Deliver Tissue Growth. NRC Newslink, Summer 2008.