February 18, 2017
Human fat could be the answer to more effective anti-aging treatments, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania say.
The researchers at Penn's Perelman School of Medicine said Friday they discovered adult stem cells from fat are more stable than other stem cells, such as those taken from skin, that are currently used in a variety of anti-aging treatments.
The cells from fat, called adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), have the ability to make more protein that originally thought, therefore allowing them to replicate and maintain their stability.
“Our study shows these cells are very robust, even when they are collected from older patients,” said lead author Ivona Percec, MD.
The discovery "can potentially open the door" for new treatments and therapies to address aging-related diseases.
The researchers noted that ASCs are not currently approved for direct use by the Food and Drug Administration. They said more research is needed before potential implementation of their finding.
The finding was published in the February edition of the "Stem Cells" medical journal.
