Stem cells put into plasters and bandages thanks to seaweed technique

Stem cells have been put into plasters and bandages to help heal wounds for the first time thanks to a new technique involving seaweed, scientists have said. Encasing stem cells in alginate gel makes them more practical to use and easy to store, even at room temperature, Newcastle University has found. The low-cost protective cover made from seaweed acts similarly to frogspawn, creating a barrier from the environment. That allowed researchers to make bandages containing human stem cells which could be applied to wounds to speed up the healing process. Che Connon, Professor of Tissue Engineering at Newcastle University, said: "The stem cells are surrounded by an alginate gel which protects them from the environment - a bit like frogspawn. "We found them unchanged even after three days at room temperature. "This has lots of advantages and applications. "For example, we have used them to make a bandage which contains human stem cells which could be applied to a wound such as an ulcer or burn to speed up the healing process." Medics have known that stem cells from fatty tissue can be used to treat wounds by reducing inflammation and speeding up closure, but until now they have had...

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