Scientists at the University of Montana have discovered a groundbreaking technique for producing human cartilage in the head and neck. Mark Grimes, a biology professor in UM’s Division of Biological Sciences, explained that they have successfully transformed stem cells into the specific cell type that forms human craniofacial cartilage. Stem cells have the unique ability to multiply and differentiate into various cell types, making them valuable tools for regenerative medicine.tilage are called neural crest cells,” Grimes said. “We found a new technique for creating craniofacial organoids from neural crest cells.”
Organoids are a simplified, miniature version of an organ that mimic the architecture and gene expression of the organ. “Organoids are a good model for certain human tissues that we can study in ways that are not possible using tissue from human beings,” he said.
Grimes said there is an urgent need for new methods to regenerate human cartilage for the 230,000 children born annually in the U.S. with craniofacial defects. Growing cartilage in the laboratory also could lead to effective treatments.Repairing damage to craniofacial cartilage caused by injuries is an important area of study for researchers. By analyzing gene expression data at the RNA and protein level, they have been able to gain insights into how cartilage cells develop from stem cells. The researchers discovered that stem cells communicate during the early stages of development to form elastic cartilage, which is a key component of human ears. To achieve this, the team utilized extensive analysis of biological markers and machine-learning pattern-recognition techniques to understand the cell signaling pathways involved in the differentiation of cells into cartilage. This research has significant implications for reconstructing natural features like ears, noses, and larynxes.Reconstructive surgery methods have improved, but transplanted tissue is often rejected without medication to suppress the immune system. “To create craniofacial cartilage in the lab from a patient’s stem cells, you need to understand the specific processes of human cell development,” stated Grimes. “Our goal is to establish a technique for generating craniofacial cartilage using human stem cells for transplantation.” The findings were published in the journal iScience. The study’s UM contributors include Lauren Foltz, Nagashree Avabhrath, and Jean-Marc Lanchy. Bradly Peterson from Missoula’s Pathology Consultants of Weste also contributed.Montana and Tyler Levy, Anthony Possemato, and Majd Ariss work at Cell Signaling Technology in Danvers, Massachusetts.
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