Another Cord Blood Stem Cell Application: McGuckin's Hope for Livers

Recent news from the UK has led me to think that stem cell research is beginning to yield some fruits. Prof. Colin McGuckin (blogged about him here) and Dr. Nico Forraz have been able to generate small sections of liver-like cells from cord blood derived stem cells.

Though the cells are not in sufficient quantities to provide tissue for organ replacement now (apparently penny-like sizes), the doctors have set up a company called Conostem which plans to market the cells to pharmaceutical companies for drug testing. The aim is to permit the application of drugs to the cells in order to assess toxicity to liver cells prior to human trials (animal cells may behave differently to pharmaceuticals than human cells).

Interestingly, the cells are grown in a Nasa designed "microgravity bioreactor" which mimicks weightlessness which is said to aid in its creation. Their work has won a local business award but as it has not yet been published, many other scientists and doctors have voiced their opinions that it is still too early to consider it for therapeutic use which may be a decade away. Nonetheless, it may just be a matter of time and sufficient effort in understanding the cells and their behaviour when implanted into the context of the body.

I am wondering how long it took them to grow the penny-sized cells and how many cells they required as a seed culture. It must be expensive, if not the cytokines that are involved then the bioreactor can't be cheap to run. But, this is exciting news because it may open up the realm of tailored therapy for autologous cord blood stem cell use (for all those babies who may grow up to be drinkers*?!) if it becomes commercially applicable and affordable.

Compared to adult stem cell infusions which they are trying in London, this might still be an expensive proposition.


Note that until today, drug companies are purchasing excess human liver cells (from surgical procedures or biopsy) for diagnostic research and pharmaceutical testing. It doesn't happen in every country but generally where the healthcare rules are more relaxed and perhaps surgeons are drafted in to provide the tissue for clinical trials.


*It is estimated that up to 10% of the UK population have problems with their liver - most are linked to lifestyle factors, such as heavy drinking and obesity.