Pluripotent Stem Cells Generated by Human Monocytes

By treating white blood cell monocytes with macrophage colony-stimulating factor, researchers have created a set of pluripotent stem cells that could be induced to differentiate into nerve, liver, and immune system tissue. Their work was reported in the February 26 2003, online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Pluripotent stem cells have so far been isolated either from fetal tissue, which is limited, or in bone marrow, which is difficult to collect. To broaden the source for these cells, investigators from the Argonne National Laboratory (Illinois, USA) treated human monocytes, isolated from circulating white blood cells, with macrophage colony-stimulating factor. The treated cells yielded a subset of pluripotent stem cells. After cultivating the stem cells, the researchers were able to make the cells differentiate into nerve, liver, and immune system tissue through the addition of more growth factors.

Storage of the stem cells in liquid nitrogen had no effect on their differentiation later. Because monocytes can be easily gathered from a patient's own blood supply, the researchers suggest that treating disease with a genetic match to prevent rejection may be possible in the future.




Related Links:
Argonne National Laboratory