Researchers have successfully used human stem cells to produce functional pituitary glands that can secrete hormones. The hormones produced are important for the body's stress response and human growth and reproductive functions. When functional pituitary glands are transplanted into mice with pituitary dysfunction (a disease related to human dwarfing and premature aging), the pituitary cells grown in the laboratory can promote normal hormone release. Bastian Zimmer, the first researcher at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, said, "The current treatment plan for patients with hypopituitarism or hypopituitarism is far from ideal." Cell replacement therapy with hormone secreting cells derived from pluripotent stem cells can provide functionally integrated long-term treatment options, and can respond to positive and negative feedback from the body. Accepting long-term goals can guide these patients. Not only can they be treated, but also It can be cured."
Recently, scientists have used tissue culture to simulate development. By doing so, we have developed a method to generate pituitary cells from human pluripotent stem cells, which is an unlimited source of regenerative medicine cells. The three-dimensional organization of the pituitary gland. However, this method is inefficient, complicated, relies on ambiguous cell signals, lacks reproducibility, is not scalable, and is not suitable for clinical staging of production cells.
In future studies, researchers will expand this protocol to generate pure populations of different hormone-releasing cell types, and tailor implants to the needs of individual patients. Plan to do something. They also tested the method in a more clinically relevant animal model that suffered radiation-induced pituitary damage and received a transplant on or near the pituitary instead of subcutaneously. Given that hypopituitary function is one of the main reasons for poor quality of life after brain radiotherapy, this study may be of great significance for cancer survivors.
Zimmer said: "Our discovery is the first step in the treatment of pituitary dysfunction, but this does not mean that the disease will be cured forever in the near future." "But our research shows that certain hormonal disorders can be achieved through regenerative medicine. The direct path of hope for treatment, it embodies the hope of human pluripotent stem cells."
The researcher is the New York State Stem Cell Science and Starlight Foundation. This work was further supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute.