2023-12-29 15:03:57
Regenerative Medicine
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University are working with canine urine samples for the production of induced pluripotent cells.
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Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are cells with the ability to differentiate into different tissues. This means that, by applying the appropriate hormones, they can be transformed into tissues as diverse as skin, pancreatic cells or neurons. For this reason, iPSCs are used daily in laboratories to try to design the therapies of the future and ensure that regenerative medicine is gradually incorporated into routine hospital treatments.
The best for our best friends
That future is getting closer and closer and, together with 3D printing technology applied to cell culture, it brings closer “organ farms” that might shorten and even eliminate waiting lists for transplants. Now, although this technology can be applied in the future to humans, it does not mean that it can only be used on such occasions. For many people, pets are part of the family, and, therefore, they also require the best care in terms of their health. Therefore, regenerative medicine applied in the veterinary world is a very interesting option that is worth studying and developing.
For this reason, at Osaka Metropolitan University they dedicate part of their research work to searching for new methods of obtaining the iPSCs necessary for cultivation. In one of their latest works, published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, they have used canine urine as a source of these precious cells. For now, the results have been promising, but they hope to continue researching so that these cells can be used in veterinary therapies as soon as possible.
A very precious liquid
The problem that has existed until now with the production of iPSCs is that the protocols used with human cells are not as efficient when used in canine cells. In humans, different types of somatic cells can be used, that is, completely differentiated cells that are reprogrammed to obtain stem cells. However, not all canine somatic cells have this capacity. Therefore, researchers are trying to find a reliable and useful source of cells that they can convert into iPSCs.
Those who have had a dog will know the number of times it urinates on each walk. Every time they mark their territory or simply relieve themselves, the force with which the fluid comes out of the urethra sloughs off some of the cells that are excreted with urine. In the vast majority of cases, that urine remains there, outside the body and, following washing it with a little water and vinegar out of civility, the owners never think regarding it once more. But Professor Shingo Hatoya and Dr. Masaya Tsukamoto are no ordinary people. Both work at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Osaka Metropolitan University and have long been convinced that this urine can have a much more interesting purpose.
Rescheduling dog urine
Until now, to reprogram canine cells, protocols normally used cells from other animals, called “feeder cells.” Its function is to provide support and power to these iPSCs so that they can be reprogrammed. However, using cells from other animals makes their incorporation as therapies difficult, since they have to be completely eliminated before introducing them into the body. If this is not done, the immune system might attack them and cause complications of all kinds.
Therefore, doctors tried to find a method to get rid of the use of feeder cells. During their research, they looked for the genes responsible for cellular reprogramming and claim that, following modifying them, they might multiply the production of canine iPSCs by 120 compared to current methods. These methods generally require fibroblasts, that is, the body’s support cells that help, among other things, with healing. But thanks to the correct modification of these genes, production might occur thanks to the desquamated cells that we have mentioned in the previous section.
First results
The first results have been very positive. The researchers managed to generate iPSCs from the shed cells in the animals’ urine. Their idea is that this discovery be used by laboratories around the world to advance the treatments they use in regenerative medicine in veterinary medicine. In addition, these cells might also be used for research into genetic diseases that affect our pets.
In a statement, Hatoya says he is committed to continuing his research on the differentiation of canine iPSCs into various cell types and applying them to treat sick dogs, with the hope of bringing joy to many animals and their owners. And it is true, a pet can be a joy in the home, but we must keep in mind that they are living beings with needs and that they can get sick. Therefore, the owners’ commitment must be to lead the best life they can offer.
DON’T BE KNOWN:
- One of the great advantages of induced pluripotent stem cells is that they are extracted from the patient who is going to be treated. Therefore, if organs were created, rejection would not occur, since the body would not notice that it was a foreign body.
References (MLA):
1703877499
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