Stem Cell Research - Spinal Cord Injury
Repaired By New Type of Stem Cells - New Type of Cells Repair Injuries
April 27th 2006
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Stem Cells |
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Researchers have found that transplanting a certain type of immature
support cell from the central nervous system could regenerate more than
60% of the nerves that are damaged after a spinal cord injury.
Amazingly, two thirds of the nerve fibers grew all the way through the
injury sites eight days later.
This is more promising than previous research, according to the
University of Rochester researchers in New York. Rats that received the
cell transplants also walked normally after two weeks.
Researchers from the Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, N.Y., in
collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, focused on a new
cell type that appears to have the capability of repairing the adult
nervous system.
Co-author, Mark Noble, Ph.D. explains “These studies provide a way to
make cells do what we want them to do, instead of simply putting stem
cells into the damaged area and hoping the injury will cause the stem
cells to turn into the most useful cell types. It really changes the
way we think about this problem." Mark is professor of Genetics at the
University of Rochester, and a pioneer in stem cell research.
These special cells, called astrocytes, are highly supportive of nerve
fiber growth. These astrocytes, called glial precursor-derived
astrocytes (GDAs), were transplanted into the injured spinal cords of
adult rats. The scientists compared rats treated with these GDAs and
rats that received either no treatment or treatment with
undifferentiated stem cells.
Rats without the GDA cell transplant did not show any nerve fiber
regeneration and still had difficulty walking four weeks after surgery.
Stephen Davies, Ph.D., the study's lead investigator and assistant
professor of Neurosurgery at Baylor said “We demonstrated that we can
treat these precursor cells, in culture, with signals we know to be
important in the development of astrocytes and push these stem cell-like
cells down a pathway that supports regeneration of the nervous system.”
Noble added “"At the heart of stem cell transplantation research is
finding the right cell for the right job. In this case the work of this
team has identified a cell that provides many more benefits than those
seen with other cell types and thus, it gives us hope that we are on a
better track."
The GDA cells seem to work on several fronts. First they signal the
tissue to repair by suppressing scar tissue. Then they “rescue” motor
pathway neurons in the brain and align the tissue at the injured site.
The researchers say that more investigation is needed before the new
technology can be used on humans.
By Dan Wilson
Best Syndication
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