Adult stem cells are being used by an Israeli research team to create a new orthopedic solution to a difficult and common problem: how to heal torn ligaments and tendons.
The research team, led by Professor Dan Gazit, is working to change this by using stem cells taken from bone marrow and genetically engineering them to become different cells altogether.
“With this in mind, we can genetically engineer new skeletal tissue – ligaments, cartilage, tendons,” explained Dr. Gadi Peled, a senior scientist at the lab.
The stem cells were injected with two proteins, called Smad8 and BMP2, and were then injected into the torn Achilles tendons of rats at the Skeletal Biotechnology Laboratory at Hebrew University’s Faculty of Dental Medicine. The cells were drawn to the site of the injury and were able to repair the tendon, said Peled.
“There was complete healing in seven weeks, which is very quick,” he told Israel21c.
A special type of imaging test, developed by Professor Gil Navon at Tel Aviv University, was used in the study to identify the tendon tissue repairs. The test, known as proton DQF MRI, differentiates between tendons, bones, skin and muscle, all of which contain different amounts of collagen.
Peled said that in time, the new technology might be used to help people who suffer with lower back pain as well. Invertebrate discs consist largely of tendon tissue that deteriorates over time. “Our next step will be to conduct the tests on large animals. For tendons and ligaments, goats are the best subjects,” he said. Pigs will be used for invertebrate disc research.
Clinical trials on bone regeneration are currently being conducted on humans by Hadassah Medical Center together with Teva Pharmaceuticals, using the same adult stem cells. “The nice thing about this is that depending on the protein you introduce, it creates different tissue,” said Peled.
The new approach for tendon regeneration was reported in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
See Complete article on Israel21c.org
The research team, led by Professor Dan Gazit, is working to change this by using stem cells taken from bone marrow and genetically engineering them to become different cells altogether.
“With this in mind, we can genetically engineer new skeletal tissue – ligaments, cartilage, tendons,” explained Dr. Gadi Peled, a senior scientist at the lab.
The stem cells were injected with two proteins, called Smad8 and BMP2, and were then injected into the torn Achilles tendons of rats at the Skeletal Biotechnology Laboratory at Hebrew University’s Faculty of Dental Medicine. The cells were drawn to the site of the injury and were able to repair the tendon, said Peled.
“There was complete healing in seven weeks, which is very quick,” he told Israel21c.
A special type of imaging test, developed by Professor Gil Navon at Tel Aviv University, was used in the study to identify the tendon tissue repairs. The test, known as proton DQF MRI, differentiates between tendons, bones, skin and muscle, all of which contain different amounts of collagen.
Peled said that in time, the new technology might be used to help people who suffer with lower back pain as well. Invertebrate discs consist largely of tendon tissue that deteriorates over time. “Our next step will be to conduct the tests on large animals. For tendons and ligaments, goats are the best subjects,” he said. Pigs will be used for invertebrate disc research.
Clinical trials on bone regeneration are currently being conducted on humans by Hadassah Medical Center together with Teva Pharmaceuticals, using the same adult stem cells. “The nice thing about this is that depending on the protein you introduce, it creates different tissue,” said Peled.
The new approach for tendon regeneration was reported in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
See Complete article on Israel21c.org
