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Thursday 26th July saw the launch of SciLogs.com, a new English language science blog network. SciLogs.com, the brand-new home for Nature Network bloggers, forms part of the SciLogs international collection of blogs which already exist in German, Spanish and Dutch. To celebrate this addition to the NPG science blogging family, some of the NPG blogs are publishing posts focusing on "Beginnings".
Participating in this cross-network blogging festival is nature.com's Soapbox Science blog, Scitable's Student Voices blog and bloggers from SciLogs.com, SciLogs.de, Scitable and Scientific American's Blog Network. Join us as we explore the diverse interpretations of beginnings - from scientific examples such as stem cells to first time experiences such as publishing your first paper. You can also follow and contribute to the conversations on social media by using the #BeginScights hashtag.
While some of the science behind stem cells may appear to draw directly from a sci-fi thriller, it can be demystified if the citizen scientist is given the expertise and can participate in stem cell experiments. I tossed out the DIYBio idea in my previous post, and I think it may advance the stem cell field by dispelling people's fears-especially that of scientists "playing God." If people have the chance to do some wet lab cell culture, they'll probably have a more realistic image of stem cell research. In particular, they'll find out exactly how far from God-like any stem cell biologist is, how hard it is for the lone mad scientist to produce an abomination against nature, and how much research progress depends on teamwork and collaboration. 
So, how may one begin this weird DIYBio journey? Let's start with the necessary materials. If you are ambitious enough to try building a cell biology lab in your garage, then you'll need several pieces of key equipment. These include a laminar flow hood, an incubator, a centrifuge, culture reagents and disinfectants, and time to review YouTube videos demonstrating aseptic techniques. There are even built plans for the hardware available online. Personally, I think you are better off buying used lab equipment online just so you don't spend more time troubleshooting the equipment than actually doing experiments. But if you enjoy building stuff, go for it!
One significant limitation is the availability of tissues and cells. In stem cell biology, it's a particularly tricky issue because of ethical implications and political winds. Of all the possible human stem cell sources, with the exclusion of reprogrammed cells, I think the placenta may be the most readily accessible for home scientists. It is the least invasive (assuming you can charm an expecting mother/father and her physician/midwife to go along) and the work required for isolating the stem cells from the tissue is manageable for those with the right equipment. I also appreciate the symbolic link between birth and research in the DIYBio context.
Different stem cell populations can be isolated from different parts of the placenta. But those from the amniotic membrane, called human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs)1,2, appear to be the most promising for clinical applications because:
- they are non-controversial (placentas are generally discarded as biohazard waste anyway)
- they are relatively easy to obtain (high cell yield per gram of tissue)
- they can grow on plastic without feeder cells (easier to culture and maintain in a lab)
- they can generate all three germ layers (almost pluripotent)
- they are not known to be tumorigenic (safer for clinical applications)
- they display relatively low immunogenicity (fewer immunosuppressive drugs for transplant recipients)
What does all this mean to the average DIYBio'er? For starters, it may be worthwhile for expecting mothers to consider banking or donating their placentas rather than discarding them. You may try to isolate and store the hAECs yourself, if you have the equipment available and aren't too squeamish (detailed protocol here). As for cell storage, it would be best if the cells are divided and frozen soon after they are isolated. That way, a single fresh aliquot can be thawed as needed to begin each experiment. The range of experiments is limited only by one's curiosity and resourcefulness. You ought to consider recruiting a team of like-minded enthusiasts if you want to keep the cells growing in a dish for more than a week. Believe me, nothing about cell culture is as simple as it sounds. More likely than not, you'll have trouble keeping cells alive and free from contamination. You'll soon give up if you don't have someone to split the work with. I also advise against growing them for too long because the cells will likely lose their stem-ness over time. On the other hand, you may keep them growing as your first experiment and see for yourself what I'm talking about.
Photo credit: Some rights reserved by latisha(herbmother) via Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bohomisfit/5732280987/)
References:
- Parolini O, Caruso M. Review: Preclinical studies on placenta-derived cells and amniotic membrane: an update. Placenta. 2011 Mar;32 Suppl 2:S186-95. Epub 2011 Jan 19.
- Miki T. Amnion-derived stem cells: in quest of clinical applications. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2011 May 19;2(3):25.
