Stem cells are cells produced during the body's development and have the ability to differentiate, originating any cell in the body. Stem cells can be found in two stages: embryonic,where cells are present in the human embryo and are capable of forming any type of tissue; and adult, where cells are found in bone marrow, amniotic fluid, placenta, liver, blood, and umbilical cord.
The use of stem cells in the recovery of organs damaged by trauma or degenerative diseases has been widely studied by several researchers around the world. At the Brazil, a study by researchers from National Institute of Cardiology (INC) and the Institute of Biophysics of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) managed to transform menstrual blood cells into stem cells capable of becoming embryonic cells (These transform into different cells, which can form different tissues in the body).
The procedure used for collecting menstrual blood is the same as for collecting urine. Blood was collected after intimate hygiene, 24 hours after menstruation began. In the laboratory, the mesenchymal stem cells that would be used in the research were isolated. At
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This research arose from the idea that a woman's uterus undergoes marked cell renewal, and that is why there is greater plasticity of the cells. According to one of the researchers responsible for the research, Regina Coeli dos Santos Goldenberg, mesenchymal cells are easier to be turned into embryonic stem cells.
Research related to menstrual blood had been carried out for over 30 years, but only in 2007 were published studies that used menstrual blood as research material. Animal studies show the efficiency of blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells menstrual, in the treatment of diseases such as heart attack, muscular dystrophy, stroke and ischemia of paws. A study published in 2009 showed that the use of these cells is safe to treat patients with multiple sclerosis.
Regina Goldenberg says that the main challenge now is “to identify which type of disease would benefit most from this cell type”. For her, "the next steps include the use of these cells in experimental models of heart and liver disease."
Paula Louredo
Graduated in Biology
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
MORAES, Paula Louredo. "Stem cells from menstrual blood"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/celulastronco-partir-sangue-menstrual.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
