Stem Cells for Battling Gastritis. Human gastric tissue “in vitro” will revolutionize the discovery of drugs aimed at blocking the harmful effects of the Helicobacter Pylori bacterium. Known to cause peptic ulcers and stomach cancer.
Consequently, Promoting the Advancement in cellular therapy is driving the development of laboratory organs. Offering a better understanding of the physiological basis of the human body. Presently researchers in the United States have achieved a significant breakthrough by creating mini human stomachs from pluripotent stem cells. To study gastric diseases, particularly those caused by Helicobacter Pylori.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the University of Ann Arbor, Michigan – Stem Cells for Battling Gastritis
Altogether, the team from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the University of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Successfully developed mini stomachs from pluripotent stem cells. Offering insights into gastric diseases, as revealed in a study published in the journal Nature.
According to researchers, they know little about the signaling pathways regulating gastric development. Generating gastric tissues from human pluripotent stem cells is unprecedented.
Their goal was to develop human stomach organoids—mini stomachs—from both embryonic stem cells. And induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), both of human origin. The pluripotent cells were manipulated to express or inhibit certain genes related to embryonic development. Leading to the formation of stomach spheres after exposure to retinoic acid for 24 hours.
To promote three-dimensional growth and morphogenesis. The spheres were transferred to a semi-solid matrix and exposed to retinoic acid for an additional 72 hours. This process resulted in the formation of the gastric antrum, the distal part of the stomach. Weeks later, the spheres, initially less than 100 micrometers in diameter, expanded into organoids with a diameter between two and four millimeters, exhibiting a complex columnar epithelium.
Method to grow human stomach
Likewise, The study was conducted by U.S. researchers. They identified a method to grow human stomach tissues in three dimensions in vitro from stem cells capable of generating the majority of tissues.
Subsequently, the researchers infected these mini-organs with Helicobacter pylori to understand how the bacterium triggers the early stages of gastric disease. Presently, approximately 50% of the world’s population is infected with H. pylori, which causes peptic ulcers and stomach cancer.
By injecting the bacteria into the organoid. The researchers observed that H. pylori behaved as it would in a normal stomach. Causing cell replication and the initial stage of gastritis. The human gastric tissue, or miniature stomachs. Will be used to discover new ways to block the harmful effects of this bacterium. Potentially reducing the number of people affected by H. pylori-induced gastric diseases.
In addition to studying human organ development and diseases. This research may also contribute to testing whether these organoids can be used for transplant-based therapies to repair damaged stomachs. Researchers are inducing gastric ulcers in mice and then transplanting human gastric organoids into the wound to test their engraftment and their role in the repair process.
While some experts caution against immediate use for transplants. Acknowledging the early stage of organoid development, they recognize the significance of these advancements. The three-dimensional structure provided by this methodology offers a leap forward in cellular differentiation. Allowing for the formation of complex architectures. Combining various techniques may be necessary for more developed organs in the future.
This groundbreaking research not only sheds light on human stomach development but also holds promise for innovative therapies and drugs to combat gastric diseases. Stay tuned for more updates in this exciting field of regenerative medicine. Act now for gastrointestinal well-being!
Finally, visit our publication entitled What are stem cells?
