Stem Cells Harvested from Urine: New Possibility for Future Treatments

Urine may not seem like it would have anything to do with stem cells, which can be directed to become multiple cell types. Now, though, researchers have made a surprising discovery. They've found stem cells in urine, which could pave the way for harvesting these cells for therapy in non-invasive way.

Being able to use a patient's own stem cells for therapy could be a boon to treatments. Unlike other methods, stem cells from the same patient don't induce immune responses or rejection. Because tissue-specific cells are a very small subpopulation of cells, though, they can be difficult to isolate from organs and tissues.

"These stem cells represent virtually a limitless supply of autologous cells for treating not only urology-related conditions such as kidney disease, urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, but could be used in other fields as well," said Yuanyuan Zhang, one of the researchers, in a news release. "They could also potentially be used to engineer replacement bladders, urine tubes and other urologic organs."

Stem cells extracted from urine could change all that. The researchers first identified the cells in 2006, but it's not until now that they've proved these cells could be applicable for treatments. In order to test the viability of these cells, the scientists examined urine samples from 17 healthy individuals who ranged in age from five to 75 years. They then isolated the cells from the urine and evaluated their ability to become multiple cell types.

The scientists placed the differentiated cells into smooth muscle and urothelial cells onto scaffolds made of pig intestine. When implanted into mice, the cells formed multi-layer, tissue-like structures. The findings could be huge for the future of harvesting stem cells.

Currently, the researchers are trying to find out the origin of these cells. So far, it looks like they might come from the upper urinary tract, including the kidney.

"Identifying the origins of the cells will lead to a better understanding of the biology of this multipotent population of mesenchymal cells within the urinary tract system," said Zhang.

The findings are published in the journal Stem Cells.