The University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Health Sciences\n(FHS) has developed a groundbreaking technology that enables storage of stem\ncells at room temperature for a minimum of seven days without the loss of\nviability and biological activities. This new technology does not rely on the\ntraditional cryopreservation method which requires costly equipment and tedious\ncryopreservation procedures, thus enabling cell storage and transport under\nambient conditions.<\/p>\n\n
Prof Ren-He Xu, a professor at the FHS of UM, has near two\ndecades of research experiences in stem cells and their medical applications.\nUnder his supervision, his doctoral student Jiang Bin and postdoctoral\nresearcher Yan Li, both from the FHS, engaged in the related research study\ntitled \u2018Spheroidal Formation Preserves Human Stem Cells for Prolonged\nEnvironment under Ambient Conditions for Facile Storage and Transportation\u2019.\nTogether with the participation of Dr Chris Wong Koon Ho, an assistant professor\nat the FHS, they achieved success in the development of the new\ntechnology. The related paper has been\npublished in Biomaterials, a renowned international journal in the field of\nbiological materials.<\/p>\n\n
The study found that preparing human mesenchymal stem cells\n(hMSC) to form spheroids with the hanging-drop method or other methods can\nreduce the cell metabolism and increase the cell viability. Stored in a sealed\nvessel filled with regular culture medium, under ambient conditions without\noxygen supply, the viability of hMSC in spheroids remained over 90 per cent\neven after 11 days. This method is also applicable to higher pluripotent human\nembryonic stem cells.<\/p>\n\n
Stem cells are found in various locations of the body such\nas bone marrow, blood, brain, spinal cord, skin, and corneal limbus. They are\nresponsible for regenerating and repairing damaged tissues and organs in the\nbody. Transplantation of stem cells can restore damaged tissues and organs to\ntheir original functions. For this reason, stem cells have significant clinical\nvalue. However, they require strict culturing and storage conditions. Extended\nexposure (over 24 to 48 hours) to unfavourable temperature, humidity, or levels\nof oxygen and carbon dioxide will cause the cells to gradually lose their\nfunctions and viability.<\/p>\n\n
Currently long-distance cell transport mainly relies on\ncryopreservation, which costs hundreds of, sometimes even one thousand, US\ndollars. For short-distance transport, cells can be prepared in suspension or\nadherent culture, but the number of cells that can be transported via this\nmethod is limited. Moreover, cell viability decreases dramatically after\ntransport for 48 hours under ambient conditions. The new technology developed\nby the UM researchers can overcome the above limitations. With this new\ntechnology termed spheropreservation, only regular culture tubes and media,\nwhich cost only several US dollars, are required for storing and shipping in\nlarge quantity probably any type of stem cells and non-stem cells that can aggregate,\nwithin a temperature range from 10 \u2103 to 37 \u2103. With this technology, a sufficient dose of\nstem cells that are being transported can be used in patients without the need\nto freeze stem cells before transport and to thaw, revive, and proliferate\nthe transported stem cells. <\/p>\n\n