Immune system against stem cells
2005/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
Most embryonic stem cell studies cannot be used in therapeutic applications. In fact, researchers suspect that the immune system will act against stem cells. They have seen this in the laboratory: if stem cells are supplied with the blood serum, antibodies bind to the cells.
The immune system response is a serious barrier for stem cell researchers. It seems that the problem is due to how stem cells grow. Researchers grow human stem cells in petri dishes. These boxes contain the nutrients and cells that stem cells need to grow, which are normally mouse. The truth is that mouse cells have a molecule that generates rejection in humans and that this is taken by stem cells. Therefore, the immune system reacts against the strange molecule that stem cells have taken.
Previously the researchers suspected that growing stem cells with nutrients of animal origin and cells would cause problems. Now they have discovered the core of the problem and they know that the stem cells thus raised will not be able to use them in therapy. However, this does not mean that they should be completely rejected, as they serve for basic research. On the other hand, they will continue to investigate the best conditions for stem cell growth.
