2009

“A UK and Canadian team have manipulated human skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells without using viruses – making them safer for use in humans.

“Study leader Dr. Keisuke Kaji, from the Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said nobody, including himself, had thought it was really possible.  ‘It is a step towards the practical use of reprogrammed cells in medicine, perhaps even eliminating the need for human embryos as a source of stem cells,’ he said.”

***

“A groundbreaking medical treatment that could dramatically enhance the body’s ability to repair itself has been developed by a team of British researchers.  The therapy, which makes the body release a flood of stem cells into the bloodstream, is designed to heal serious tissue damage caused by heart attacks and even repair broken bones….

“A possible danger with some other stem cell therapies in the pipeline is their use of embryonic stem cells.  Because these can turn into any type of tissue, there is a risk they could grow into cancer cells when injected into patients. [This] treatment uses stem cells that can only grow into blood vessels, bone and cartilage, so the risk of causing cancer is removed.”

***

“Controversial research into the use of ‘hybrid’ human-animal embryos to make stem cells is in danger of stalling because of a lack of funding, British scientists claim….

“Since the furore broke… scientists have developed a cheap and powerful new technique in which adult skin cells are reprogrammed to create cells that are almost identical to stem cells. Researchers have already used the technique to make so-called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for patients with diabetes, muscular dystrophy and Down’s syndrome….

[Quoting Harry Moore, head of reproductive biology at Sheffield University] ‘What has happened is the field has moved on. You could argue that iPS cells are a more important area than hybrids now.’ ”

***

“A dose of their own stem cells ‘reset’ the malfunctioning immune system of patients with early-stage multiple sclerosis and, for the first time, reversed their disability….

‘This is the first study to actually show reversal of disability,’ said Richard Burt, an associate professor in the division of immunotherapy at Northwestern, and the lead author of the study published yesterday in the British journal, the Lancet Neurology. ‘Some people had complete disappearance of all symptoms.’ ”

***

“A new study suggests that adult bone marrow stem cells can be used in the construction of artificial skin.  The findings mark an advancement in wound healing and may be used to pioneer a method of organ reconstruction.”

***

2008

 “The reality is that the bulk of today’s stem-cell research relies on adult stem cells taken from bone marrow, blood, skeletal muscles, body fat and umbilical cord blood.  Scientists have even managed to coax adult skin cells to mimic the versatility of embryonic stem cells, which can grow virtually any cell or tissue in the human body.  Unlike embryonic stem cells, though, these adult stem cells are being tested in humans right now, with very real possibilities to change the way various diseases are treated in the next five to 10 years.”

***

“For the first time, scientists at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC have discovered a unique population of adult stem cells derived from human muscle that could be used to treat muscle injuries and diseases such as heart attack and muscular dystrophy….

“Because this is an autologous transplant, meaning from the patient to himself, there is not the risk of rejection you would have if you took the stem cells from another source…

“Myoendothelial cells also showed no propensity to form tumors, a concern with other stem cell therapies.”

***

2007

“An Ecuadorian stem cell expert said on September 24 that transplants of  autologous adult bone marrow stem cells restored some function in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients who have been paralyzed for an average of four years, some up to 22 years….

“Of the 25 patients who provided more than three months and up to 14 months follow up: 15 gained the ability to stand up, 10 could walk on the parallels with braces, seven could walk without braces and five could walk with crutches. Three patients recovered full bladder control, and 10 patients regained some form of sexual function. No adverse events or abnormal reactions to implantation were observed….

‘By implanting an adult’s own bone marrow stem cells, we’ve seen significant improvements in the quality of life for those who suffer from spinal cord injuries,’ … said Francisco Silva, executive vice president of research and development for PrimeCell Therapeutics.”

***

“In recent years, scientists have… discovered that red bone marrow is… the body's Swiss Army repair kit. It contains a traveling laboratory of cells that can heal the liver, heart, kidneys, leg arteries, pancreas, and even ovaries and the brain.  Up to 40 percent of the liver can be regrown from stem cells found in bone marrow, researchers at New York University School of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine and Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center found.”

***

2006

“The results of a study published in the April issue of Stem Cells and Development suggest that human stem cells derived from bone marrow are predisposed to develop into a variety of nerve cell types, supporting the promise of developing stem cell-based therapies to treat neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis….

“When transplanted into the central nervous system, [these cells] will develop into a variety of functional neural cell types, making them a potent resource for cell-based therapy.”

Archives:  2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001

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