RT-Stem cells from fat..
International Fat Applied Technology Society Determines That Stem Cells From Fat
Offer Promising Clinical
Opportunities for Future Research
PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 2004--While questions still
remain about the nature and function of stem cells found in fat, a
group of researchers and clinicians convened today in Pittsburgh at
the Second Annual Meeting of the International Fat Applied Technology
Society (IFATS) agreed that research should move forward with the
ultimate goal of performing human clinical trials to test the cells'
therapeutic potential for specific indications.
Today concludes scientific sessions exploring how adipose tissue,
or fat, can be an abundant source of stem cells that could be used for
tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. An important outcome of
the meeting was the development of a consensus defining key scientific
questions for future study and determining the field's most promising
clinical applications.
More than 300,000 liposuction procedures are performed in the
United States each year, producing about 150,000 gallons of fat that
is normally discarded. In 2001, researchers first reported that such
tissue contained stem cells, and since then, additional studies have
suggested they can be coaxed into other cell types, such as nerve,
bone, muscle and blood vessels; or it may be that they have properties
of these cells. Some research has progressed more rapidly, with animal
studies indicating potential for the development of treatments for
heart attack or bone injury, for example, while results looking at
other uses are still quite preliminary.
There are currently no human trials in the United States
evaluating the potential of stem cells derived from fat, but in
reaching consensus on the most promising clinical applications, those
attending the IFATS meeting believe the first clinical attempts in
patients should be for repairing or healing bone defects, promoting
growth of blood vessels in tissues not receiving sufficient blood
supply, and for treating acute or chronic cardiac and peripheral
vascular diseases.
Moreover, the group felt the best use of the technology should be
to develop therapies using patients' own cells, as opposed to cells
that might be donated by other individuals. Because adipose is both
abundantly available and easily accessible, it offers a practical
source of stem cells.
A key question the group answered was simply what to call the
cells, with the decision in favor of the term adipose-derived stem
cells, even though it also was agreed that these cells are most likely
comprised of multiple cell populations -- some that are capable of
proliferation and differentiation and other groups consisting of
mature cells. The society aims to develop common scientific methods in
order to best compare results between studies, and believes that much
of the research effort should be directed toward identifying the
protein markers for adipose stem cells in order to better understand
how they differentiate into other cell types and what factors they
secrete.
In developing its consensus, the society focused on three main
areas, with separate sessions addressing each. Leading discussions
that addressed the biology of the cells was Patricia Zuk, Ph.D.,
research director, Regenerative Bioengineering and Repair Lab, at the
David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los
Angeles. The session focusing on scientific methods was led by Jeffrey
Gimble, M.D., Ph.D., a professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research
Center at Louisiana State University. Discussions on clinical
applications and opportunities were moderated by Keith March, M.D.,
Ph.D., director of the Indiana Center for Vascular Biology and
Medicine and professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of
Medicine.
IFATS, the only interdisciplinary fat tissue society, is dedicated
to facilitating the development of new technology derived from and
directed toward adipose tissue. The society's current scientific areas
of interest include facilitating the development of treatments for
excess body fat, generation of new fat tissue for reconstruction after
cancer or birth-related defects and the use of adipose tissue as a
source of stem cells that have the potential to regenerate and repair
different tissues in the body.
J. Peter Rubin, M.D., assistant professor of plastic and
reconstructive surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, co-director of the Aesthetic Surgery Center and director of
the Life After Weight Loss Program at the University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center, is the society's current president. The scientific
program chair for the meeting was Adam Katz, M.D., assistant professor
of plastic surgery and director, Laboratory of Applied Developmental
Plasticity, at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
newsbureau.upmc.com
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CONTACT: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
412-647-3555, Fax: 412-624-3184
Lisa Rossi, 412-916-3315 (cell)
RossiL@upmc.edu
Alan Aldinger, 412-370-3887 (cell)
AldiAL@upmc.edu
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