In a new study, researchers have discovered that stem cells derived from the placenta (known as Cdx2 cells) can regenerate healthy heart cells after heart attacks.
The finding may help develop a novel treatment for regenerating the heart and other organs.
The research was conducted by a team from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Placenta stem cells have long been thought to only generate the placenta in early embryonic development.
But never before they were shown to have the ability to regenerate other organs.
The team previously had found that placental stem cells can help the hearts of pregnant female mice recover after an injury.
In the new study, the team aimed at determining what type of stem cells made the heart cells regenerate.
They found that the Cdx2 cells comprised the highest percentage (40 percent) of those assisting the heart regeneration from the placenta.
The finding is critical to the development of a human stem cell treatment strategy.
Now the team has been able to isolate Cdx2 cells from term human placentas. They are trying to design a better human stem cell treatment for the heart.
Currently, the use of embryonic stem cells for heart regeneration is linked to ethics and feasibility concerns.
Placentas are routinely discarded around the world and thus almost a limitless source.
The lead author of the study is Hina Chaudhry, MD, Director of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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