Stem cells have long (and very successfully) used in the so-called regenerative medicine. However, as it turned out, there is in our body and better structures that will give a new impetus to the development of new technologies for the treatment of various diseases. These structures are called “extracellular vesicles” and it used to be that they have little or no useful function.
Generally distinguish 4 types of vesicles, but they are small vesicles secreted by cells of different tissues or organs in the surrounding space. They are not only in tissues but also in all biological fluids. Previously it was thought that the vesicles is a kind of “waste material” and used them only diagnosis of various conditions.
But a group of French researchers, studying vesicles, came to the conclusion that some of them have properties that are inherent to stem cells. Moreover, in this case the vesicles do not have the ability to share and evolve, and thus virtually eliminate the risk of complications in the form of cancer, which can develop as a result of stem cell therapy.
During a series of experiments, the scientists took ordinary domestic pigs, have been diagnosed with intestinal fistula. Fistula is, in fact, anomalies in the development of the digestive tract when bowel loops have holes in the internal environment of the body, each other or adjacent structures. Using extracellular vesicles derived from stem cells of adipose tissue, experts have created a special gel injections which led to the complete closure of the defects without any surgical intervention. As reported by the authors,
“Wound healing occurs at 100%. The gel helped 67% of animals from the study group. Healing in the control group who did not receive treatment, compared with 0%.”
This and other news you can discuss in our chat in Telegram.