‘Pregnancy fluid’ could treat Osteoporosis

'Pregnancy fluid' could treat Osteoporosis

Question: Researchers of which country proposed that stem cells harvested from pregnant women’s amniotic fluid can be used to strengthen weak bones?
(a) USA
(b) Britain
(c) China
(d) Japan
Ans: (b)
Related facts:

  • Researchers of Britain proposed that stem cells harvested from pregnant woman’s amniotic fluid can be used to treat osteoporosis and strengthen weak bones.
  • Amniotic fluid is the protective fluid that surrounds baby in the uterus and helps it to develop inside the mother’s womb.
  • Scientists proposed the unusual therapy after studies showed that the treatment led to 78% fewer fractures in animals that were bred to have a brittle bone disorder.
  • The finding has raised hopes for treating rare bone conditions that affect some babies from birth, but the same procedure has the potential to help older people with osteoporosis, and even astronauts who lose bone mass in orbit.
  • Pascale Guillot led the study at University College London.
  • The Amniotic fluid also contains stem cells that are the building blocks of other tissues.
  • The researchers collected the amniotic stem cells from material left over from screening tests during pregnancy or collected immediately before birth.
  • The team at the Institute of Child Health – a collaboration of Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London – injected the cells into diseased mice.
  • Tests on mice showed injecting the cells increased the strength, plasticity and structure of the animal’s bones.
  • Bone is constantly being remade with cells called osteoclasts breaking down old bone and osteoblasts making new bones.
  • Brittle bone disease, osteoporosis and space travel were all characterized by osteoblasts “becoming lazy”.
  • The study showed the stem cells were increasing the natural activity of the osteoblasts – rather than directly making new bone themselves.
  • Clinical trials are already planned, but ultimately the researchers’ aim is to discover which chemicals the stem cells are releasing that kick the osteoblasts into gear.

Reference
www.bbc.com/news/health-38376955
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/dec/20/pregnant-womens-stem-cells-could-treat-osteoporosis-say-scientists