Making Cultured Meat from Stem Cells
Scientists have for the
first time obtained stem cells from livestock that grow under chemically
defined conditions, paving the way for manufacturing cell cultured meat and
breeding enhanced livestock.
From:
University of Nottingham
December 7, 2021 -- Researchers from the
University of Nottingham's School of Biosciences, together with colleagues at
the Universities of Cambridge, Exeter Tokyo and Meiji (Japan) have developed
stem cell lines from pigs, sheep and cattle embryos grown without the need for
serum, feeder cells or antibiotics. The research, "Pluripotent stem cells
related to embryonic disc exhibit common self-renewal requirements in diverse
livestock species," has been published today in the journal Development
and was funded by BBSRC, EU (ERC), MRC and Wellcome Trust.
The chemically defined conditions are
growth medium suitable for the in vitro cell culture of animal cells in which
all of the chemical components are known. Standard cell culture media commonly
consist of a basal medium supplemented with animal serum (such as fetal bovine
serum, FBS) as a source of nutrients and other ill-defined factors.
The technical disadvantages to using
serum include its undefined nature, batch-to-batch variability in composition,
and the risk of contamination so this new chemically defined approach provides
greater consistency and safety, making it an ideal solution for manufacturing
new lab grown food products.
Professor Ramiro Alberio led the
research and explains: "The ability to derive and maintain livestock stem
cells under chemically defined conditions paves the way for the development of
novel food products, such as cultured meat . The cell lines we developed are a
step change from previous models as they have the unique ability to permanently
grow to make muscle and fat."
These novel cell lines can differentiate
into multiple cell types, they can be genetically manipulated using Crispr/Cas9
gene editing tool and can be used as donors for nuclear transfer. This
technology offers new opportunities for expanding research into gene editing
animals to improve their productivity, and adaptation to to climate change and
modifications of diets to reduce the environmental impact of livestock
production.
Professor Alberio adds: "Gene editing
in this way makes modifications that could happen naturally over a long time
but in a selective a rapid manner to customize specific traits. This can
accelerate the pace of genetic selection of livestock and cultured meat to
improve productivity and creation of healthier foods. With a growing population
to feed in a changing climate finding reliable and sustainable food is vital.
This research offers potential solutions that the food industry could use at
scale."
Professor Austin Smith, Director of the
University of Exeter's Living Systems Institute, one of the world's leading
experts in stem cell research said: "It is very exciting that starting
from a fundamental question about early development in different animals we
have discovered a technique that may revolutionize future production of
meat."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211207092449.htm
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