Research confirms ability of stem cells to repair acute spinal cord damage without causing further injury
Transplanting human embryonic stem cells does not cause harm and can be used as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury, according to a recent study by UC Irvine researchers.
UCI neurobiologist Hans Keirstead and colleagues at the Reeve-Irvine Research Center found that rats with either mild or severe spinal cord injuries that were transplanted with a treatment derived from human embryonic stem cells suffered no visible injury or ill effects as a result of the treatment itself. Furthermore, the study confirmed previous findings by Keirstead’s lab – since replicated by four other laboratories around the world – that replacing a cell type lost after injury improves the outcome after spinal cord injury in rodents. The findings are published in the current issue of Regenerative Medicine.
“Establishing the safety of implanted embryonic stem cells is crucial before we can move forward with testing these treatments in clinical trials,” said Keirstead, an associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology and co-director of UCI’s Stem Cell Research Center. “We must always remember that a human clinical trial is an experiment and, going into it, we need to assure ourselves as best as we can that the treatment will not cause harm. This study is an important step in that direction.”
More in link:
http://www.innovations-report.com/ht...ort-68016.html
07-21-2006, 05:28 AM
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