The New York Times-20080129-Menstruation as a Source of Stem Cells- Maybe Not

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Menstruation as a Source of Stem Cells? Maybe Not

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In the past, menstruation was often viewed as a sign of uncleanliness or shame. In some cultures, women have been banished to huts or forbidden to cook during their periods.

So the prospect that the curse might be a source of stem cells to sustain life was a surprise to some experts.

All the years I've been working in cell therapy, nobody ever thought of looking there, said Dr. Stephen J. Noga, director of medical oncology and hematology at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. Dr. Noga is also chairman of the scientific advisory board of Cryo-Cell International, the company marketing a menstrual blood collection and storage service.

Still, perhaps it should not be totally surprising. The endometrium, the lining of the uterus, regenerates each month, suggesting the presence of stem cells. Indeed, scientists have found such endometrial stem cells.

It is possible that the stem cells claimed to be in menstrual fluid are endometrial stem cells that slough off each month during menstruation.

But Caroline Gargett, a scientist at Monash University in Australia who has characterized endometrial stem cells, said it would be strange if lots of these valuable stem cells were shed in menstruation.

If you lose them permanently, you won't be able to grow the tissue, she said.

Dr. Hugh Taylor, chief of reproductive endocrinology at Yale, said the healthiest stem cells would come from the part of the menstrual cycle when the uterine lining regenerates. The menstrual fluid -- those cells are dying, he said.

Dr. Taylor also said a woman could always have cells taken directly from the endometrium by a uterine biopsy, which is routinely performed for fertility examinations. Even after menopause, he said, the uterine lining can be stimulated to grow by giving a woman estrogen.

I think it's premature to start telling anyone to go in and save their menses, he said. A woman can come in and have endometrial biopsy all the time and get those cells in a fresh, pure form.