Originally published August 6 2005
Bone marrow proves to be a source of egg cells
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Previously unrecognized stem cells found in the bone marrow and blood of mice can "restock" a depleted ovary with new egg cells within weeks, according to new research published in this week's issue of the journal Cell.
Stem cells from bone marrow may serve as a source of egg cells, at least in mice, and scientists said their study published on Thursday may lead to new fertility treatments if the same proves true in people.
"We may be ushering in a new era in the clinical management of female infertility and menopause," said Jonathan Tilly, director of the Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who led the study.
Cancer patients whose ovaries have been destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation, or women whose ovaries have been surgically removed, might some day be helped by the finding -- although this is a long way off.
Tilly also believes adult stem cells found in bone marrow might turn out to be a source of eggs for therapeutic cloning -- a way to generate the more powerful and malleable embryonic stem cells that many researchers want to work with.
The same team of researchers had earlier been puzzled to report that female mice sterilized with chemotherapy spontaneously regenerated their ovaries and egg cells.
They looked in the ovaries but could not find any evidence of oocyte stem cells -- immature "master" cells that might be able to give rise to ovary tissue and oocytes.
They found markers -- protein signatures -- of germ cells -- the kind of stem cells that give rise to eggs and sperm.
Just 24 hours later, the sterilized mice had new egg cells and follicles, which hold and nurture the eggs.
They have yet to show that the mice can produce babies with their new egg cells -- but they have checked human bone marrow and found similar "markers" for germ cells.
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