Jorge A Piedrahita, PhD, North Carolina State University [$2500]
Project Summary from AKCCHF.org website:
“Stem cells can make cell types as varied as neurons, heart cells, or bone cells. This ability to make multiple cells makes them valuable for clinical applications as they can replace damaged, or diseased cells. Broadly, there are two types of stem cells, those that can be isolated from embryos, or embryonic stem cells (ES), and those that can be obtained from adults. ES cells can make many cell types but cannot easily match the patient being treated as they can only be obtained from embryos. Adult stem cells can be matched to the patient, but they are not as good as ES cells as they can only make some cell types.
Recently, in mice and humans, stem cells were isolated called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). These stem cells can be made from easily obtained skin or fat cells, yet they are as useful as ES cells. Their development is a critical step toward the successful clinical application of stem cells in dogs, so we proposed to develop canine iPS using fat or skin cells, and to study them for their ability to make multiple cell types in vitro.
With the funds provided we have been able to isolate four new canine iPS cell lines and have maintained them for over 9 months in culture. These cell lines express the appropriate makers of stem cells and can differentiate into multiple tissues types in vitro and in vivo. We have also examined whether the cell lines have a normal karyotype (chromosomes) and found no evidence of abnormality. However, we have found by more detailed genetic analysis that the cells become unstable with prolonged culture. We have completed experiments to document how and when the cell lines change and to see if we can find way of preventing those changes. In short, we have successfully developed canine iPS cell and have demonstrated that they can differentiate into several tissue types in vitro and in vivo.”
Publication:
Sehwon K et al. Growth Requirements and Chromosomal Instability of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Generated from Adult Canine Fibroblasts. 2012. Stem Cells and Development 22: 951-963