EDITORIAL – Pitt researchers find use for placenta cells

The University of Pittsburgh has once again made a groundbreaking contribution to modern-day… The University of Pittsburgh has once again made a groundbreaking contribution to modern-day medicine. A research study to be published this month suggests that cells with similar capabilities of embryonic stem cells can be found in placental tissue. This is excellent news not only for the medical program here at Pitt, but for the progressive politicians on the left.

The breakthrough cells have been identified in the placenta in the amnion, which is located on the outer membrane of the amniotic sac. The amniotic epithelial cells in the placenta closely resemble stem cells that have the potential to generate almost any kind of body tissue, and thus can aid in the treatment of several diseases. Another component that makes these placental cells so unique is the prospect that they can be bound for the formation of heart, pancreas, liver and nerve cells.

While, under normal circumstances, placentas are discarded, statistics show that the opportunity cost of them going to waste is too high. Each year, 4 million children are brought into this world by live births, as opposed to Caesarean section.

Each placenta contains 300 million amniotic epithelial cells. Considering that it is facile for these placental cells to be expanded once extracted from the placenta, in one year the number of cells obtained could be astronomical and, thus, more affordable for research.

While there are several comparisons to be made between placental cells and their controversial counterparts, there are also differences that will keep stem cells at the center of the right wing’s platform for years to come. Placental cells are devoid of tolemerase, an enzyme responsible for the infinite growth and division of cells.

However, tolemerase can also be attributed to the shortcomings observed in stem-cell research. Because it is linked to several forms of cancer, the underlying fear that these cells could inevitably have fatal effects if transplanted is a serious concern.

This calls upon another advantage of the amnion found in stem cells. In recent studies, the placental cells have been tested for the adverse affects of tumors as result of the tolemerase. After several months, the placental cells have yet to show any signs of cancer when transplanted.

In the end, still a significant amount of research needs to be done to render the long-term outcome of these cells conducive to improving the state of diseases such as cancer. But, the conservative side should have no moral objections to the use of placental cells that would be discarded otherwise. It’s a victory for Pitt researchers who have invested so much in the treatment of diseases that have been ailing us for decades.

The issues concerning saving lives that are contingent on this research have been de-politicized. Researchers now have free space to accomplish the great things that placental cells have the potential to do. America can now focus on the matters at hand, using technology not for just trivialities but to ensure the longevity of the people in our lives that matter most.