MIT's New Synthetic Material Allows Stem Cells to Grow Without Foreign Catalysts
Human pluripotent stem cells - the kind that can become any kind of specialized cell and therefore be used to treat pretty much any kind of cellular damage - hold seemingly limitless promise if only we could manipulate them in useful quantities. Now, researchers at MIT have overcome a major obstacle to both stem cell study and eventual stem cell treatments by creating a synthetic surface that enables stem cells to live and multiply for months, producing clinically-useful quantities of identical cells. Stem cells could be the key to treating all kinds of ailments ranging from deseases like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's to physical injuries like spinal traumas. But creating stem cells is a tricky business. In order to perform the necessary experiments to develop treatments, researchers need large batches of identical cells. Often, this means catalyzing growth using materials that include proteins or cells from mice. These materials drive stem-cell growth...