Magnetised carriers help steer stem cells to therapy sites

By feeding stem cells particles made of magnetised iron oxide, scientists at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology believe they can then use magnets to attract the cells to a particular location in the body after intravenous injection.

The results are published online in the journal Small and will appear in an upcoming issue. The paper was a result of collaboration between the laboratories of W. Robert Taylor of Emory, and Gang Bao of Georgia Tech. Taylor is professor of medicine and biomedical engineering and Bao is professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.

The study used mesenchymal stem cells that can be obtained from adult tissues such as bone marrow or fat and are capable of becoming bone, fat and cartilage cells, but not other types of cell such as muscle or brain. They secrete a variety of nourishing and anti-inflammatory factors, which could make them valuable tools for treating conditions such as cardiovascular disease or autoimmune disorders.