Scientists grow prostates from mouse stem cells

A team of molecular biologists in the U.S. have grown complete prostates derived from stem cells in the prostates of mice and they say the experiment represents a big step towards regenerating organs from a patients' own cells.

The team at Genentech Inc. in California say similar stem cells are present in human prostates, but they have yet to grow human prostate glands from the cells.

Meanwhile other researchers are suggesting that the usefulness of growing a prostate is unclear, but they say the research could lead to better ways to fight prostate cancer and the enlargement of the prostate that often comes with age.

The Genentech team say a total of 14 prostates were generated from 97 single cell transplants and they believe they are the first to demonstrate prostate generation from a single adult stem cell.

Stem cells are the body's master cells from which various tissues and the blood are created - they are found throughout the organs, blood and tissue and exist in an immature form until they generate the necessary cell types.

Scientists believe they will in future be used in regenerative medicine, where tailor-made transplants of tissues and perhaps organs can be grown from a patient's own cells.

The Genentech team led by Kevin Leong and Wei-Qiang Gao, used adult stem cells, taken from baby mice, rather than the more controversial embryonic stem cells which are taken from embryos, which can generate any type of cell or tissue in the body.

The research team first found a protein marker able to differentiate prostate stem cells from other cells in the prostate and they say this marker, C-117, can also be found in the human prostate - the C-117 was transplanted below the kidney in the mice.

Experts say the study provides strong evidence not only for the presence of stem cells in the adult prostate, but a way to identify them and extends the number of adult organs in which such tissue-specific stem cells have been found, including skin, brain, mammary glands, and the gut.

They say the discovery will be a significant boost to prostate cancer research.

The prostate is a small gland located just below the bladder that helps make seminal fluid and expel semen - prostate cancer is a leading form of cancer in developed countries.

The research is published in the journal Nature.