Embryonic Stem Cells Correct Congenital Heart Defect in Mouse Embryos
October 13, 2004 | Source: KurzweilAI
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center researchers have discovered a previously unsuspected capacity of embryonic stem cells to influence neighboring defective cells and restore their capacity to function normally.
Fifteen embryonic stem cells were injected into early embryos of mice whose hearts were genetically predisposed to develop a lethal defect. The stem cells rescued the heart from developing the disorder by producing normal daughter cells that were incorporated into the defective embryonic heart and by releasing biological factors into the nearby vicinity. This prevented neighboring heart cells from developing into defective tissue.