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Fibroblasts

November 06, 2003

Where should stem cells be taken for transplantation in case of deep burns - from embryos or from the marrow? Russian transplantologists have determined that the skin restores quicker when the cell from mesenchyme of the marrow are used.

Within a month, the rat's burn wound area would decrease by 10 times, if its surface is covered by the suspension of marrow stem cells, taken from the same rodent. Without transplantation, the burn would heal 5 times slower, and the embryonic cells transplantation is four times less effective. These are the findings of investigation carried out by the researchers of the Scientific Research Institute of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Public Health of Russian Federation.

To cause a deep burn, metal plates covering approximately 20% of the body surface were applied to the skin of forty rats. The plates were gradually heated up to 98 degrees C and kept at such temperature for 8 seconds. In this case, the entire skin layer was affected. The execution was certainly performed under anaesthetic. Two days later the rodents were divided into group each comprising 10 animals. In one group, cells from the animal's own marrow were transplanted to the burnt areas, in other group - cells from other animal's marrow, in the third group - the researchers transplanted embryonal fibroblasts taken from pregnant rats, and ten other animals were unlucky as they remained as a background group for comparison without cellular therapy. The cell culture raised in advance was applied to specially debrided burn, and half an hour later (this period is necessary for the transplant to get fastened to the wound), it was covered by a gauze pad moistened by physiological solution with antiseptic.

Distinct difference between the experimental groups was seen already a week later. It has turned out that the quickest - slightly more than a month - way to restore the coverlet is with participation of cells from the animal's own marrow or autogenic cells, as physicians put it. Slightly worse result was achieved through transplantation of other animal's or allogenic marrow cells, 5 times less effective was the embryonal cells transplantation which caused a lot of heated disputes about ethical and legal aspects of this transplantation when treating people. It took the longest for the wound to heal over when transplantologists were not involved.

For a month, the researchers observed the new skin developing on the damaged parts of rats' bodies. To this end, the researchers measured the burnt area five times a month, took samples of the neogenic tissue for investigation under the microscope and carried out their genetic analysis to distinguish animal's own cells from transplanted ones. For this purpose, the cell culture had been genetically marked prior to the operation.

The researchers believe that transplanted cells produce the substances which accelerate regeneration of own tissues. These substances are mainly growth stimulative enzymes and specific peptides. The marrow cells suit better than embryonic cells for healing burns, as they are much less specialized and generate more bioactive compounds. Besides, they reproduce in the culture quicker than embryonic cells and form the quantity necessary for the operation.

Informnauka (Informscience) Agency