STEM CELLS AND ORGAN

CULTURE
Geeta Mohan
 STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

• The growth of a new organ is called organ culture

and is done using stem cells.
• Organ culture is a development from
tissue culture methods of research. Parts of
an organ or a whole organ can be cultured in vitro.
• If an organ is beyond repair it can be replaced now by
not an old organ taken from a donor but by a new
organ that is grown on request.
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

• It was James Thomson of Wisconsin in 1998 who

first reported the method of deriving and
maintaining human embryonic stem cells. The
cells were extracted from the inner cell mass of
the blastocyts got from invitro fertilization. The
cells were donated for research purposes.
• In the year 2000 at Singapore and Australia a
team of scientists led by Pera, Frounson and
Bongso used the same technique to derive stem
cells.
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

• The stem cells could be maintained for a long time and

they showed stability in their karyotype and could
differentiate into somatic cell lines that could be
derived from all three germ layers.
Stem cells are derived from different sources :
1) Embryonic stem cells : They are in the human
embryos. The cells are taken from the inner cell mass of
the blastocyst at a stage before implantation can occur.
The embryonic stem cells are pleuripotent. Pleuripotent
is derived from the Latin word ‘pluri’ which means many.
The embryos are obtained by in vitro fertilization in the
clinics and kept in the deep freezer. The embryonic cells
are separated and are used as stem cells. The
embryonic stem cells can self replicate and give rise to
all three germ layers. The embryonic stem cells can be
propagated or grown in the culture upto 2 years.
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

2)Human Embryonic germ cells : Human embryonic

germ cells are derived from the primordial germ cells
that occur in a specific part of the foetus called the
gonadial ridge. This ridge develops later into mature
gametes. The embryonic germ cells can be maintained
for only about 80 to 90 populations. The embryonic
stem cells are taken from aborted fetuses.

3)From the umbilical cord : The blood from the

umbilical cord is preserved, as it is a source of stem
cells. These blood cells are cultured and used to treat
leukemia.
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

4) Adult stem cells : The adult stem cells can be obtained

from specialized tissue, which have undifferentiated cells.
These cells can renew themselves and become specialized
to form all types of tissue. The adult stem cells are obtained
from the bone marrow, blood stream, cornea, retina, dental
pulp of the teeth, hair, skin, spinal cord, gastrointestinal
tract and pancreas.
Adult stem cells are not pleuripotent as they cannot give
rise to all cell types. The adult stem cells can make
identical copies of themselves for long periods of time and
they show long-term self-renewal. They can give rise to
mature cell types with different shapes and specialized
functions.
The stem cells usually produce an intermediate cell called
the progenitor cell or precursor cell. The progenitor cells
are partly differentiated cells, they divide and give rise to
differentiated cells.
 STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

The properties of the stem cells make them best suited for organ culture
1) Stem cells have the ability to divide for an indefinite
period under the right condition and right signal.
2) Stem cells are totipotent, they have the potential to
mature into blood, nerves, heart, cartilage and any
other tissues. The word ‘totipotent’ is derived from the
word, ‘totus’ meaning entire. The stem cells can give
rise to the entire embryo.
Totipotency is the ability of a single cell to divide and
produce all of the differentiated cells in an organism
example –zygote and spores. They can form all cell
types in the body including extra embryonic or placental
cells .
 STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

3)The embryonic stem cells are Pleuripotent. Pleuripotent

is derived from the Latin word ‘pleuri’ which means many.
Pleuripotency are stem cells that have potential to
differentiate into any of the three gem layers :
Endoderm- interior stomach lining, gastro intestinal tract ,
lungs.
Mesoderm- muscle ,bone, blood and urinogenital system.
Ectoderm-Epidermal tissue and nervous system.
They are embryonic stem cells originating as inner mass
of cells within blastocyst ,can become any tissue in the
body excluding the placenta.
4)The stem cells show plasticity, as they can become
other cell types.
 STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

Organ Culture
• The stem cells due to their properties of totipotency,
pleuripotency and plasticity can be induced or coaxed
to produce the desired tissue or organ.
• The differentiation of the cells depends on the right
type of induction. The stem cells when associated
closely with any organ can form a tissue of that organ.
For example the stem cells when associated with the
heart will form cardiac muscles. Similarly when the stem
cells are associated with the liver or the pancreas, the
cells will develop and differentiate into that particular
tissue. This capacity of the stem cells has been fully
exploited to grow organs.
The researchers involved in growing new organs are
called tissue engineers.
 STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

There are many examples of organs that can be cultured

1) New Skin :Tissue engineers have grown skin from stem
cells formed from a small piece of skin. The new-
engineered tissue can be used to cover the entire the body
of a burn victim
2) Rejuvenate the heart : Heart attacks result in the death
of a part of the heart. The muscles are dead and the
medication given to the patient helps to keep the
neighbouring tissue alive. The stem cells when injected
into the surviving part of the heart can rejuvenate the
heart by forming new tissue.
Dr. Douglas Lasordo of Boston hospital gave a drug to enhance the
production of stem cells in the bone marrow. These cells were
harvested and injected into a part of the heart that was not able to
contract. The stem cells grew into cardiac muscles and heart
started working better than before.
 STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

3)New Cornea and Retina : A Japanese ophthalmologist

Kohji Nishida extracted cells from the cheek of a 58-year-
old man who was nearly blind from a diseased eye. He
grew a sheet of stem cells from the cells taken from the
cheek and used this to form a new cornea. The man
regained his sight. A new retina can also be grown to cure
blindness.
4) New urinary bladder and a cure for incontinence :
Cartilage can be grown using a stem cells derived from a
piece of cartilage taken from any part of the body. The
cartilage can be made into specific shape to surround the
opening of the bladder. This helps in curing incontinence
or the inability of holding ones bladder. A new tissue
engineered urinary bladder has also been made or created
and the scientists are awaiting approval of the US
government to use it.
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

5) New kidney : is in the agenda for tissue engineers. They

plan to make the required kidney for end stage renal failure
patients who will die if there no suitable donors available.
Kidney is a complicated organ and the stem cells need to
develop into various types of cells such as, cells that form
nephrons, cells that form the glomerulus and cells that
form the interstitial tissue etc.
6) Cure for Type 1 Diabetes : Type 1 diabetes is caused due
to the destruction of the beta cells in the pancreatic islets
of Langerhans, as a result of which, there is no production
of insulin. Embryonic stem cells are used to produce
pancreatic cells. The islets cells can be formed which can
produce insulin so that the person can lead a normal life.
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

7) Cure for Parkinsons Disease :The degenerative

disease called Parkinson’s strikes those who are 50
years and above. This is caused due to the death of a
particular set of neurons that connect the substantia
nigra in the mid brain to the striatum. The neurons
secrete dopamine that regulates the nerves that control
movements. The deficiency of dopamine results in
difficulty in movements. There is uncontrolled twitching
and tremors. Research is on to induce foetal cells to
become dopamine-secreting cells to cure Parkinson’s.
8)The differentiation of the stem cells into neurons
could cure spinal injuries.
9)The adult brain also has stem cells that could
differentiate into the neurons and supporting cells
called astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE

Human embryonic stem cell research involves the

use of totipotent cells that can form any organ if
associated with that particular tissue.
Many ethical issues come in the way of such
research but stem cell culture has many advantages
in tissue and organ replacement. The development of
the embryo using artificial parthenogenesis is now
recommended instead of fertilization.
STEM CELLS AND ORGAN CULTURE
Stem cell & organ culture

Credits
Wikipedia
Google