Test tube and live mice experiments showed that the mesenchymal stem cells are capable of inducing bone and cartilage growth, as well as hastening skin wound healing, the researchers said.

At a recent international conference, the perception was that “Toronto is one of the hotbeds of stem-cell research.”

Ralf Sodian, M.D., lead author of a study which is researching the use of cord blood to develop heart valves, and a cardiac surgeon at the University Hospital of Munich, said in a statement:

“In our concept, if prenatal testing shows a heart defect, you could collect blood from the umbilical cord at birth, harvest the stem cells, and fabricate a heart valve that is ready when the baby needs it”

In the study, the scientists used stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. The cord blood was cryo- frozen to preserve it, then, after twelve weeks, the cells were seeded onto eight heart valve scaffolds made of a biodegradable material and then grown in a lab.