For their investigations, the researchers were able to get sections of human small intestine for their experiments that otherwise would have been discarded after gastric bypass surgery at UNC. They established the stem cells by using specific molecules – called CD24 and CD44. They attached fluorescent tags to these molecules and used a special machine called a fluorescence activated cell sorter to identify and isolate the stem cells from the small intestine samples.

They found that not only could they isolate the human stem cells from human intestinal tissue, but that they also could separate different types of intestinal stem cells from each other. These two types of stem cells – active and reserve – are a hot topic for stem cell researchers who are still trying to figure out how reserve stem cells cycle in to replenish active stem cells damaged by injury, chemotherapy or radiation.

The next step is, said Magness, to carefully characterize these populations to assess their potential. They want to expand these cells outside of the body to potentially provide a cell source for therapy. Further they want to investigate, whether they can  modify these stem cells genetically to cure inborn genetic disorders or inflammatory bowel disease.


Source:
http://www.eurekalert.org/