01/09/2026
A fascinating discovery from Mount Sinai School of Medicine shows how the body may activate its own regenerative tools during pregnancy.🤰🏼🫀
Researchers found that stem cells originating from the fetus can travel through the placenta into the mother’s bloodstream — and migrate directly to an injured area of her heart. Once there, these cells integrated into the damaged tissue and developed into smooth muscle cells, blood vessel cells, and even cardiomyocytes.
In lab studies, the placenta-derived cells began beating on their own, demonstrating true cardiac activity. This suggests a natural repair response that becomes active during pregnancy.
What makes these cells especially noteworthy is their ability to blend into maternal tissues without triggering immune rejection — a major challenge in many stem cell therapies. Because the placenta is normally discarded after birth, this source offers an ethical and highly accessible path for future regenerative research.
Reference:
Chaudhry, H., Kara, R., et al. Circulation Research, American Heart Association Scientific Sessions (2011)
PlacentalStemCells