Angsuman Chakraborty26 Jul 2006 07:55 am
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.
In 2005, Keirstead’s lab was the first to coax human embryonic stem cells to become highly pure specialized cells known as oligodendrocytes. These cells are the building blocks of myelin, which acts as insulation for nerve fibers and is critical for maintenance of electrical conduction in the central nervous system. When myelin is stripped away through disease or injury, paralysis can occur.
In this study, as in the original one, when the rats suffering from severe spinal cord injury were injected with the oligodendrocytes seven days after injury, the cells migrated to the appropriate sites within the spinal cord and wrapped around the damaged neurons, forming new myelin tissue.
Keirstead is working with Geron Corp. to bring this treatment for acute spinal cord injury into Phase I clinical trials within the next year.
Frank Cloutier, Monica Siegenthaler and Gabriel Nistor collaborated on the study, which was supported by Geron Corp.; a UC Discovery Grant; the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Fund of California; Research for Cure; and individual donations to the Reeve-Irvine Research Center.
Source: ScienceDaily
Filed under Spinal Cord Injury, Stem Cell | 2 Comments
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July 26th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
Great Article.
Can stem cells, like other tranplantations be rejected by the recepient? Do the Stem Cells have a blood type? In other word, does the patient’s blood type need to match that of the cells?
July 30th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
Yes, but it’s typically not the stem cells that are implanted, it’s the differentiated cells. In either case, the body’s immune response will attack any implanted cell, unless there is something done to “trick” the body. One approach, developed by Novocell in San Diego, is to encapsulate the cell in PEG - poly ethylene glycol - protecting the cell while allowing normal systemic behavior. Others are trying to affect the markers on the outside of the cell or islet to make the cell appear to be native. See our web site (www.BiotechInvestor.com) to listen/read interviews with Dr. Alan Lewis and Dr. Edward Baetge of Novocell. We also publish a newsletter, The Centient Biotech Investor, that has over 1000 articles and reports available, many on stem cells.
Best of luck,
Greg Scott