Adult Stem Cells Found in Menstrual Blood

March 16, 2006

At a recent meeting of the American College of Cardiology, Japanese researchers reported that have harvested stem cells from human menstrual blood. Dr Shunichiro Miyoshi of Keio University in Tokyo said that he and his colleagues were able to obtain about 30 times more stem cells from menstrual blood than from bone marrow. The stem cells were then cultured in a way to induce them to become heart cells and after five days about half of the cells contracted “spontaneously, rhythmical and synchronously, suggesting the presence of electrical communication” between the cells.

Until recently, it was believed that there are few adult stem cells present in the body. But new studies continue to be published which overturns this received wisdom. Adult stem cells have been found in bone marrow, peripheral blood, the inner ear, umbilical cord blood, nasal mucosa, amniotic fluid, and now menstrual blood. If the trend continues and adult stem cells are not only to be found in more places in the body but continue to be turned into clinical therapies, then the use of embryonic stem cells may become moot.