Stem cells have a vital role to play in the modern world. Several areas, including disease modeling, developmental biology, and cell therapy rely on the use of stem cells for experimental research, approaches that must yield not only reproducible results but must also preserve the genetic integrity of the cells used. As regular cells cannot always meet these requirements, or cannot be used for ethical reasons, stem cells are instead relied upon because of their ability to differentiate into several cell types. The key to all of this stem cell culture, which requires the latest technologies, like the products developed by Manchester Biogel.
The defining feature of all stem cells is their ability to renew themselves and differentiate into specialised cells as they do not have a specialised function, such as white blood cells. This means that researches can use them to replicate any of the cells in the human body, without requiring a sample of the specialized cell in question.
Stem Cell Classifications
Despite their lack of specialized functions, stem cells do still come in two different varieties, although these are broadly defined. The first type, embryonic stem cells, exist in all embryos and have not yet differentiated into specialized cells allowing them to contribute to the support of organs such as intestinal tissues, skin, and blood. Adult stem cells, on the other hand, are simply part of the body’s repair system and cannot differentiate into the specialized cells (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm) in the manner in which embryonic stem cells can.
Stem Cell Culture Systems
When it comes to studying stem cells and understanding their many uses in research, different culture conditions play a crucial role. One of the two most popular conditions is a feeder-free stem cell system. This kind of culture uses an extracellular matrix in the place of feeder cells, allowing the system to maintain cell growth while using a custom mix of nutrients and amino acids to minimize spontaneous cellular differentiation.
Stem cell culture systems that are feeder-dependent, on the other hand, use so-called feeder cells which must be seeded on the plates and prepared in advance, adding additional time and resources to any research project. This type of culture system can use either human or mouse-derived stem cells and relies on proteins and growth factors for additional cell support, much in the same way and feeder-free culture systems.
The Need for Stem Cell Cultures
Traditionally, the topic of stem cells and their use has been a somewhat controversial one. However, research has proved that they have a wide range of uses thanks to their ability to self-renew themselves and differentiate into specialized cells when triggered. The most promising and vital areas of research which rely on the use of stem cell cultures include:
- Gene therapy
- Development of new drugs
- Cancer research
- Development of artificial tissues and organs
- Organ reconstruction
- Pharmaceuticals
- Toxicology
As the application of stem cells only continues to grow, so does the need to create sustainable and efficient stem cell culture systems to support accurate research results.
