Exosomes are extracellular vesicles (EVs) of endosomal origin that range in size between 30 and 150 nanometers. Exosomes are secreted by a wide range of cells, with virtually all living cells utilize exosome-mediated communication. Today, exosomes are being explored across a diverse range of therapeutic and diagnostic applications, with particular attention being given by the pharmaceutical industry to drug-loaded exosomes. [Read more…]
What are the Different Types of Stem Cells?
No history of stem cell research is complete without an explanation of what types of stem cells exist, where they’re found, and what functions they perform in the fetus, juvenile, and adult body. As discussed, stem cells exist at different levels of specialization. Some can do anything – literally. Meanwhile, others have vast potential to develop into different tissue types, but can’t do so to a limitless extent. [Read more…]
The Little Known History of MSCs (Year-By-Year)
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types, including osteoblasts, chondrocytes, myocytes, and adipocytes. MSCs are of intense therapeutic interest, because they represent a population of cells with the potential to treat a range of acute and degenerative diseases. MSCs are advantageous over other stem cells types for a variety of reasons, including that they are immunoprivileged, making them an advantageous cell type for allogeneic transplantation.
Allogeneic means that cells from a donor are used in the treatment of a different person.Â
Overview of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)
In addition to secreting factors that can stimulate tissue repair, MSCs can substantially alter their microenvironment, exerting effects that are both anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic. MSCs are also advantageous over other stem cells types, because they avoid the ethical issues that surround embryonic stem cell research and can positively impact immune function. Because of their unique capacity to form structural tissues, MSCs also being explored for use in 3D printing applications.
History of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)
1900s
The discovery of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) dates back to the early 1900’s.
1924
In 1924, the Russian-born researcher Alexander Maximow used histology to identify a type of precursor cell within the mesenchyme that could differentiate into a variety of blood cell types.[1] While the term mesenchymal stem cell did not exist, this is the earliest known reference to the cell type.
1960s
Nearly 40 years later, in the 1960’s, researchers Ernest McCulloch and James Till identified the clonal qualities of marrow cells. [2],[3] It then took another decade until an ex vivo assay was developed that allowed for examination of the clonal nature of multipotent marrow cells.[4] [Read more…]
Who Discovered Stem Cells? The Answers Revealed
Who discovered stem cells is a question that invites both historical and scientific exploration. While Robert Hooke is credited with first observing cells in the 17th century, the discovery of stem cells themselves is generally attributed to Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch in the 1960s.
For hundreds of years, scientists have understood that the human body is made up of trillions of microscopic structures called cells. These cells exist in more than 200 distinct types, each performing vital functions such as pumping blood, digesting food, transmitting nerve signals, and eliminating waste and toxins from the body. Stem cells are unique among these cells because they have the ability to develop into many different cell types, making them a cornerstone of modern regenerative medicine and biomedical research.
Multipotent Stem Cell Benefits and Their Emerging Uses in Medicine
Multipotent stem cell research has come into the mainstream, as regenerative medicine exits its infancy and begins to take hold in major healthcare markets worldwide. The possibilities inherent in multipotent stem cells – those capable of turning into a wide variety of different bodily cells – make it one of the most exciting developments today. [Read more…]
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