Stem cells find their polystyrene niche

Norwegian scientists have developed a microfluidic platform to grow stem cells outside of the body in a controlled manner for a period of three weeks.  

Stem cells from bone marrow are known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and like all adult stem cells they survive in specific microenvironments within the body, known as niches. But it's not so easy to grow them outside the body as they spread out as they grow which makes it difficult to control their microenvironment in vitro, as they tend to inhabit and block feeding channels. Previous microfluidic systems using glass substrates use hazardous chemicals to contain the cells, but Ellen Tenstad at the Vestfold University College in Horten and colleagues have used microtechnology to enable controlled experimental conditions that cannot be achieved using traditional large scale culture.   More...

http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/cb/Volume/2010/04/stem_cells.asp