22/ MAY 2012 THE RIDER
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Equine Guelph News: 3rd Report on Research Video - Dr. Thomas Koch speaks about Regenerative Therapy Regeneration for the Nations
Canadian-Danish Research Globally Acclaimed
Canadians and Danes were the first to source equine umbilical cord blood for regenerative medicine. The anticipation over the exciting applications of this research were clearly indicated by the massive number of downloads which occurred within two weeks of the first report published back in 2007 “whopping 3500+!”. “The long term goal is to find new treatment modalities for diseases and conditions where there currently are no good treatment modalities,” says Dr. Thomas Koch, who researches joint carti- lage repair at Aarhus University, Den- mark and the University of Guelph. Koch expands on one reason stem cell research is such a hot topic by explaining the con- cept of a reduced burden on the healthcare system, which could potentially result from curing incurable degenerative dis- eases.
actually adhere to the plastic and multi- ply! Koch can then create cartilage from these cells in the lab.
Studies for maintaining cells at the injury site are ongoing. The complication is integrating cell-repaired cartilage with the underlying bone and adjacent normal healthy cartilage. Koch is investigating sophisticated matrices and scaffolds as well as a technique known as mosaic arthroplasty. In mosaic arthroplasty, a number of plugs consisting of both carti- lage and bone are placed in the cartilage and bone defect in a cobblestone pattern, hence the name mosaic. Pioneered by Dr. Mark Hurtig from the University of Guelph, this option, although technically difficult, may allow a better integration between cartilage and bone.
The successful isolation of cells from equine umbilical cord blood for regenerative purposes has put the U of G on the map as a leader in equine stem cell research. In his latest research, Koch is able to isolate mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for potential cartilage repair using a very simple, non-invasive proce- dure. Umbilical cord blood is obtained at the time of foaling by clamping the cord and collecting the blood into a transfusion bag. Once at the lab, this blood is then put into a plastic container and then the cells that “love plastic” show their potential for regenerative research. Any unwanted floating cells are easily removed from the container because the desirable MSC cells
Using umbilical cord blood cells to make bone cells and cartilage cells has earned Koch’s research international recognition. The application for bone healing in fracture and cartilage repair is promising. Now researchers are working on better ways of differentiating undiffer- entiated cells into cartilage cells so there will be enough cells for therapy. Dr. Thomas Koch is employed by the Orthopedic Research Lab at Aarhus University in Denmark and funded by the Danish Research Agency for Technology, Production and Innovation. Additional operating funds are provided through: Grayson Research Foundation of Lexing- ton, Kentucky; BioE Inc. of Minnesota, USA; SentrX Animal Care Inc. of Utah, USA; Morris Animal Foundation, USA and the Equine Guelph Research Fund. -By: Jackie Bellamy
J'Equine Sport Inc's three websites have been nominated as
Canadian website business of the year!
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