A new study suggests that it is easier to get adult stem cells from fat cells than from skin cells. This means that the "leftovers" from liposuction are a good way to harvest stem cells.

Although these adult stem cells are not as useful as embryonic stem cells, they can be reprogrammed to work like embryonic stem cells for studying diseases and regenerating tissue. Because of the controversy surrounding embryonic stem cells, good sources of adults stem cells are highly sought after.

The research, carried out at Stanford, found that the cells from the leftovers of liposuction were more easily turned into pluripotent stem cells than skin cells that have been the most popular choice for researchers. This is mainly due to the fact that fat cells are ready to go, whereas skin cells must be grown in the lab for weeks. The fat cells can also be converted to pluripotent stem cells without the need for mouse-derived "feeder cells" which are required for converting skin cells. The stem cells derived from fat are also more versatile than those from skin cells.

This is a major breakthrough for stem cell research and applications. Dr. Michael Longaker, a co-author of the study referred to liposuction leftovers as "liquid gold".