International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Brazilian researchers have claimed that discarded human fallopian tubes can prove to be a rich source of stem cells.

A study conducted at the University of Sao Paulo's Human Genome Research Centre has found that the tubes, removed during hysterectomies and other procedures, could prove highly useful in the development of regenerative medicine.

Published in BioMed Central's Journal of Translational Medicine, the study led by Dr Tatiana Jazedje found that human fallopian tubes contain plenty of mesenchymal stem cells, while no abnormalities were discovered.

She stated: "In addition to providing an additional potential source for regenerative medicine, these findings might contribute to reproductive science as a whole.

Dr Jazedje claimed that the use of human tissue fragments that are usually discarded in surgical procedures "does not pose ethical problems".

Last month, new research conducted at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, identified the genetic factors which influence when a women begins the menopause.

Researchers expressed the hope that the finding may have implications for improved fertility treatments and pregnancy planning.