by Playfuls Staff |
9th April 2007
U.S. scientists have determined stem cells isolated from females regenerate skeletal muscle more efficiently than do stem cells from [more] males.
The study by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is said to be the first to report a difference in regenerative capabilities of muscle stem cells based on sex.
The senior author of the study, Johnny Huard, director of the Stem Cell Research Center at the UPMC's Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, said the finding could have a major impact on the successful development of stem cells as viable therapies for a variety of diseases and conditions.
"Regardless of the sex of the host, the implantation of female stem cells led to significantly better skeletal muscle regeneration," said Huard. "Based on these results, future studies investigating regenerative medicine should consider the sex of the stem cells to be an important factor.
"Furthermore, investigations such as ours could lead to a better understanding of sex-related differences in aging and disease and could explain, at least partially, the high variability and conflicting results reported in the literature on stem cell biology."
The research appears in the Journal of Cell Biology.
© 2007 UPI
