Skin-derived precursor cells for the treatment of enteric neuromuscular dysfunction

The intestine performs the essential function of absorbing food and water into the body. Without a functional intestine, children and adults cannot eat normal meals, and these patients depend on intravenous nutrition to sustain life. Many of these patients do not have a neural system that coordinates the function of the intestine. These patients have a poor quality of life, and the cost of medical care is over $200,000 per year for each patient. Stem cell therapies offer potential cures for these patients while avoiding the risks of invasive procedures and hazardous treatments. A novel approach to treat these patients is to use stem cells derived from the patient’s own skin to generate the neural system. This has been shown to be feasible in small animals, and the next step hinges on the demonstration of these results in a large animal model of intestinal dysfunction. We will develop a model in large animals that can be used to test the ability of skin-derived stem cells to form the neural system. Skin-derived stem cells will be isolated from large animal models and human skin to demonstrate their potential to generate a functional neural system. These cells will be transplanted into the animal model to determine the best way for these cells to make the intestine function properly. This research will gather critical information needed to begin a clinical trial using skin-derived cells to treat intestinal dysfunction.