bpod-mrc: Smart Cells Swelling, tenderness and weakness of the joints are the painful symptoms of rh
bpod-mrc: Smart Cells Swelling, tenderness and weakness of the joints are the painful symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The condition – caused by the body’s immune system attacking its own healthy cells – can flare up and calm down over time, but can never be cured. And, if flare-ups are severe, they can even lead to bone erosion and deformity. Because standard anti-inflammatory drugs can cause unpleasant side effects with long-term use, researchers are developing so-called SMART cells (Stem cells Modified for Autonomous Regenerative Therapy) – pictured. These engineered cells are seeded onto a woven scaffold and grafted into the body wherein they secrete anti-inflammatory compounds only when flare-ups occur – when they detect inflammatory cytokines – thus minimising the chance of side effects. So far, the cells have been shown to respond to cytokines, suppress inflammation, and reduce bone damage in mice with a form of rheumatoid arthritis, all of which pave the way for human studies. Written by Ruth Williams Image from work by Yun-Rak Choi and Kelsey H. Collins, and colleagues, Guilak lab Washington University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA Image copyright held by the original authors Research published in Science Advances, September 2021 You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook -- source link