Stem cell production just got a whole lot easier

Stem cells have great potential to impact how diseases are treated. But such possibilities remain undiscovered because of the high cost and unsafe conditions that come along with developing these cells. Thankfully, researchers may have discovered a new method of creating these cells.

In a paper published July 13 in Nature Communications, researchers at the University of Nottingham (U.K), Uppsala University (Sweden) and GE Healthcare in Sweden describe a new culture method to produce stem cells more quickly and economically. Using the inter-alpha inhibitor protein from human blood, the researchers grew stem cells in a minimal medium without consuming biological substrates.

"The protein can make stem cells attach on unmodified tissue culture plastic, and improve survival of the stem cells in harsh conditions," wrote lead author Sara Pijuan-Galitó, MD. "It is the first stem cell culture method that does not require a pre-treated biological substrate for attachment, and therefore, is more cost and time-efficient and paves the way for easier and cheaper large-scale production."

Researchers are continuing to study this new method to further improve the outcomes of stem cell production.