Scientists Create Magnetic Stem Cells for Gene Engineering

A team of scientists working at the Tomsk Polytechnic University’s Laboratory from Novel Dosage are currently developing a new technology that controls mesenchymal stem cells of patients and permits a more impactful treatment of cancer. In order to control a patient’s own magnets and cells, scientists suggest that the native cells can’t be rejected by immune system, therefore, it can deliver medication without any hassle in the core of disease. The development of such magnetic cells is being carried out by colleagues from Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg and Tomsk Polytechnic University and the Queen’s Mary University of London.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) of approx.10 microns are instilled with magnetically controlled microcapsules that have drug. Outer triggering through magnet targets cells in tumor, there, the micro containers open up and release the encased compound. The drug is, thus, delivered precisely influencing the cancer cells without causing any damage to other tissues. Alexander Timin, the Novel Dosage Laboratory’s JRF, and co-author of this paper, says, “Mesenchymal stem cells are inherently able to migrate toward tumors. They can also differentiate under control into mesodermal cell types of bone, fat, cartilage, muscle or connective tissue in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, MSCs are very attractive for application in substitute therapy, gene or cell engineering.”

magnetic stem cells for gene engineering

The authors note also states that, “It is interesting to note MSCs exhibit a high capability to capture microcapsules without significant toxicity compared to other cell lines described in the literature. As a result of magnetic capsule internalization by MSCs, we have created a new cell engineering platform that is responsive to external magnetic fields to control cell migration. Magnetization of MSCs enables magnetic sorting of cells and forming a cell spheroid out of tens of thousands of MSCs. Also, the obtained results can be further used to create a next-generation cell-modified platform for efficient targeted delivery ex vivo,”