#003 5 to 7x More Stem Cells from Placenta with Dr. Frans Kuypers
Dr. Rhonda Patrick interviews Dr. Franz Kuypers, a senior scientist at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, about his lab's discovery that the human placenta is a rich source of pluripotent stem cells. They discuss the potential therapeutic applications of these cells for regenerative medicine and the importance of banking placentas instead of discarding them.
Deep Dive Analysis
9 Topic Outline
Introduction to Placental Stem Cell Discovery
Placenta as a Superior Stem Cell Source
Defining Pluripotent and Multipotent Stem Cells
The Potential of Placental Stem Cell Banking
Therapeutic Applications of Placental Stem Cells
Comparison: Placental vs. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Placental Cells as Biogenerators for Growth Factors
Commercialization and Societal Challenges of Stem Cell Banking
The Broader Context of Medical Research Funding
5 Key Concepts
Pluripotent Stem Cells
These are stem cells that possess the capacity to form almost any type of cell in the human body, including blood, immune, muscle, lung, liver, kidney, and brain cells. The human placenta has been identified as a rich source of these highly versatile cells.
Hematopoietic Stem Cells
These are multipotent stem cells that are specifically limited to forming various types of blood cells, such as B and T lymphocytes, red blood cells, and monocytes. They are commonly used in bone marrow transplants to regenerate immune and red blood cell populations after treatments like chemotherapy.
Epigenetic Program
This refers to a system of factors that influence gene expression by sitting on top of the DNA, turning genes on or off without altering the underlying DNA sequence. This program changes with age, leading to distinct patterns (e.g., methylation patterns) that can indicate a cell's biological age.
Biogenerator (Stem Cell Application)
This concept involves using young stem cells, such as those from the placenta, not necessarily to replace damaged cells directly, but to produce and secrete a complex mixture of growth factors, cytokines, and other beneficial chemicals. These secreted factors can then help stimulate and support the regeneration and repair of existing damaged tissues.
Gryphus or Sosa's Disease (Graft-versus-host disease)
This is a severe complication that can occur in stem cell or bone marrow transplants when the newly introduced immune cells from the donor recognize the recipient's body as foreign. These donor cells then attack the recipient's tissues, indicating a poor match between donor and recipient.
6 Questions Answered
The human placenta is a rich, abundant, and ethically sound source of pluripotent stem cells, offering a significantly higher yield (5-7 times more hematopoietic stem cells) than cord blood, which is currently a standard source for transplants.
Placental stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they can differentiate into almost any cell type in the body, including blood, immune, muscle, lung, liver, kidney, and brain cells, as demonstrated in laboratory settings.
While the technology exists for collecting and freezing placentas, commercialization faces challenges related to funding, establishing storage facilities, obtaining FDA approval, and developing a viable business model for both private and public banking.
Placental stem cells are naturally 'young' (nine months old) and vigorously produce growth factors, whereas iPSCs are derived from older adult cells, require harsh reprogramming treatments, carry a risk of uncontrolled growth (cancer), and retain the epigenetic 'age' of the donor cell.
Stem cells can act as 'biogenerators' by secreting a complex mixture of growth factors and other chemicals that signal to and help existing damaged tissues regenerate and repair themselves, rather than solely replacing cells.
Unlike embryonic stem cells, there are no ethical issues associated with using placental stem cells because the placenta is typically discarded after birth, and its collection does not harm the baby or mother.
11 Actionable Insights
1. Don’t Discard Placenta
Do not discard the placenta after delivery, as it is a rich, ethically sound source of pluripotent and hematopoietic stem cells, which are currently being thrown away about 3.9 million times a year in the US alone.
2. Store Your Own Placenta
Consider storing your own placenta for potential future personal use, such as when you are 80 years old, as it can provide cells that match your genetic background.
3. Advocate Placenta Banks
Advocate for the establishment of placenta banks to store enough placentas to create a diverse genetic resource that can match individuals who need stem cells for therapeutic applications.
4. Use Proper Placenta Storage
Do not attempt to store a placenta in a home freezer; proper technologies involving anti-freeze and liquid nitrogen are required to ensure the cells remain viable for future use.
5. Use Placenta as Bioreactor
Consider using young placental stem cells as ‘bioreactors’ to generate a complex mixture of growth factors and cytokines that can help damaged tissues regenerate and improve the environment for healing.
6. Support Placenta Tech Companies
Support and invest in companies like Pla Salus that are developing and commercializing technologies for placenta collection, freezing, and cell extraction to make these resources widely available.
7. Bank Placenta with Cord Blood
When considering cord blood banking, also explore options to bank the entire placenta or a portion of its cells, as it offers a superior and more versatile stem cell resource.
8. Pay for Private Banking
Be aware that private banking options for stem cells, including potentially placenta, exist where consumers pay an initial fee and an annual storage fee to preserve their own biological material.
9. Fund Health Research
Advocate for increased funding for basic, translational, and clinical research, as it is essential for developing new technologies and improving the quality of life for the global population.
10. Support Global Health
Support initiatives that provide proper nutrition and basic care in developing countries, as these simple interventions can significantly improve survival rates for preventable diseases.
11. Cultivate Gratitude Mindset
Cultivate a mindset of gratitude and privilege for the opportunities to contribute to research and positive change, as this can foster motivation and a sense of purpose.
5 Key Quotes
Yes, there are stem cells there, yes, they're viable, and yes, we can get them out.
Dr. Franz Kuypers
Don't throw your placenta out. Let's see whether we can use it.
Dr. Franz Kuypers
If you are not very, very smart in telling the cell what to do, the cell will take on its own life, keeps on growing. And that's what you call a tumor.
Dr. Franz Kuypers
Ultimately, the complete recipe that the cells make as the result of a screaming kind of, hey, we need something, right? That is what is needed.
Dr. Franz Kuypers
Thousands of people die every year because they do not have a proper resource for their bone marrow transplant or whatever they need.
Dr. Franz Kuypers
1 Protocols
Placenta Stem Cell Collection and Storage
Dr. Franz Kuypers- Collect the placenta after the baby is born and the mother delivers it.
- Apply anti-freeze to the placenta to preserve cell viability.
- Store the placenta in liquid nitrogen at very cold temperatures (minus 100-200 degrees centigrade).
- Later, retrieve the stored placenta and thaw it very carefully.
- Tease out the desired cells from the placental tissue.
- Grow the extracted cells in cell culture, using specific feeding mediums to differentiate them into desired cell types (e.g., neurons, fat cells, heart cells).