Blood Vessels Made From Skin Cells Reprogrammed Through Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Stage

Researchers in England have made the first artificial functioning blood vessel outside of the body by reprogramming stem cells from human skin. The researchers also saw the cells develop into a blood vessel inside the body for the first time.

Stem cell therapy to treat heart disease is already being carried out in the clinic using bone marrow cells, however, the long-term effectiveness at the moment is minimal and some types of stem cells have the potential to become a tumour after they are introduced into the body.

This new research demonstrates that a new type of partial stem cell developed from fibroblasts (skin cells) can be reprogrammed into vascular cells before going into the body, which have no risk turning into tumours.

The King’s College London team introduced four genes to human fibroblasts in the laboratory to reprogramme them into partial stem cells so they could become vascular cells. When these newly created cells were injected into an ischemic leg (a leg with restricted blood flow) in an animal model, the function of the leg was improved. 

The process of developing vascular cells from skin cells took two weeks, which makes a personalised approach of turning a patient’s own skin cells into vascular cells feasible for treatment of vessel-blocking related diseases. The researchers say the next step is to test this approach in cells from patients with vascular disease.

The new technique holds the potential to treat patients with heart disease by either injecting the reprogrammed cells into the leg or heart to restore blood flow or grafting an artificially developed vessel into the body to replace blocked or damaged vessels. The treatment could also benefit diabetic patients with poor circulation, preventing leg amputation.

The King’s team introduced four genes to human fibroblasts in the laboratory to reprogramme them into partial stem cells so they could become vascular cells. When these newly created cells were injected into an ischemic leg (a leg with restricted blood flow) in an animal model, the function of the leg was improved. 

The process of developing vascular cells from skin cells took two weeks, which makes a personalised approach of turning a patient’s own skin cells into vascular cells feasible for treatment of vessel-blocking related diseases. The researchers say the next step is to test this approach in cells from patients with vascular disease.

Adapted from the Kings College London announcement.