The National Institute of Health has granted the Creighton School of Medicine $3.3 million dollars to study repairing damaged coronary arteries with adult stem cells. Such damage can occur when patients undergo coronary artery angioplasty and stenting. A serious problem that occurs is the re-narrowing (restenosis) of coronary arteries after stent placement. Stents are used [...]
Stem cells that aid in healing disease and injury in skeletal muscle have been found inside muscles in greater numbers after exercise, according to a new animal study at the University of Illinois. Just one exercise session increases the number of muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs) in mice, according to Beckman Institute researcher Marni Boppart. [...]
From Sam Harrell’s blog: Sam In Panama TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2012 2012 Update Well, I realize there may not be many readers of my Panama blog any longer, but just in case someone does return, I wanted to post an important update. In March 2011 when I returned from my second trip to Panama (my [...]
Toddler diagnosed with cerebral palsy shows remarkable improvement By Bob Considine TODAYShow.com contributor Dallas Hextell was already a miracle to parents Cynthia and Derak, after they spent three years trying to get pregnant. But now he is looking like a medical miracle to the rest of the world. The two-year-old son of the Sacramento, Calif., [...]
Researchers in Florida have accomplished converting umbilical cord stem cells into other cell types. According to University of Central Florida bioengineer James Hickman, it’s the first time that non-embryonic cells have accomplished this feat. His research group published this work in the January 18th issue of ACS Chemical Neuroscience. Two major benefits of umbilical cord-derived [...]
A new mouse study has shown that blood from young mice helps old mice to heal damage caused by MS. MS causes myelin, which insulates nerve cells electrically, to become damaged. Stem cells can produce myelin but they lose efficiency in older patients. Researchers in the UK have found a way to reverse this age-related [...]
Informational Seminar The Treatment of Human Diseases with Adult Stem Cells We are proud to present and discuss the latest in adult stem cell treatments for diseases. Join us for informational presentations by: Jorge Paz Rodriguez, MD – A Layman’s Guide to Adipose Stem Cell Therapy Neil Riordan, PhD – Adult Stem [...]
One of the oldest people in the world, Sarah Knauss (119 years old), might have had more than just “good genes.” “Adult stem cells – known for their healing and regenerative properties – might hold the key to a long and healthy life,” says Wayne Marasco, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber at the recent International Vatican [...]
Proof-of-principle study provides hope for stimulating remyelination Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard University, and the University of Cambridge have found that the age-related impairment of the body’s ability to replace protective myelin sheaths, which normally surround nerve fibers and allow them to send signals properly, may be reversible, offering new hope that therapeutic strategies [...]
A Number of Clinical Trials Using Adult Stem Cells Are Showing Early Success Dozens of adult stem cell treatments are moving through clinical trials and showing early success, raising hopes that some could reach the market within five years. ‘It will only take a few successes to really change the field,’ said Gil Van Bokkelen, [...]
Research suggests future use of cells in kidney, heart disease BY BRENT WITTMEIER, EDMONTON JOURNAL DECEMBER 2, 2011 University of Alberta pediatric asthma researcher says that the medical benefits of stem cells may lie in their by-product “healing juices”. Dr. Bernard Thébaud believes the by-products of mesenchymal stem cells – found in umbilical cord tissue [...]
ASHLAND — Three-year-old twins with cerebral palsy are making life adventurous, challenging and bittersweet for the Hancock family. “They’re happy kids but it definitely makes it more difficult because as a parent you want them to have every opportunity that every other child has,” said mother Carrie Hancock. “It’s hard, but we’re handling it the [...]
Nakano-Doi et al. Stem Cells 28(7):1292-302. May 2011 Scientists from the Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences of Hyogo, Japan have announced new research findings suggesting that bone marrow stem cells may be useful in the treatment of stroke. Although other scientists have previously demonstrated similar findings, including in patients, (Suárez-Monteagudo et al. Restor Neurol Neurosci. [...]
Glaser et al. J Vasc Res. 2011 May 31;48(5):415-428. In addition to ethical dilemmas associated with embryonic stem cells, there are ample data demonstrating at administration of these cells causes formation of aggressive tumors called teratomas. One way in which scientists are trying to “tame” these cells is to reprogram them in the test tube. [...]
Linda Goldston, lgoldston@mercurynews.com Mercury News Cookie is a thirteen year-old Australian shepherd mix that has been having increasing trouble lying down and getting up. She could not walk down stairs and even during normal walks around the park her legs would give out. Cookie’s master, Ed Tani of Hayward was terrified that Cookie’s days were [...]
Mojallal et al. Aesthetic Plast Surg. Fat represents a potent source of autologous stem cells. Historically, the majority of research using autologous stem cells involved stem cells collected from the bone marrow. This source is associated with a painful extraction procedure and relatively low concentrations of mesenchymal stem cells. In contract, mini-liposuctions represent a less [...]
Peng et al. Hepatology. The liver is the most regenerative solid organ in the body. One can resect 2/3 of the liver and it will still regenerate back to normal size. There have been several experimental studies in animals where induction of liver injury is treated by administration of bone marrow stem cells. A video [...]
Batista et al. Nature. Key to scientific progress is the ability to test new treatments in animals that represent the human disease of interest or in cells in the laboratory that represent the human disease. The better these test systems represent the human disease, the more likely it is that approaches successful in the test [...]
Zhao et al. Nature. Embryonic stem cells are associated with numerous ethical dilemmas. The creation of equivalents of ES cells through retrodifferentiation led to a new area of research that does not require destruction of life. Specifically, it was discovered that any adult cell can be transfected with several genes, which results in the cell [...]
Yang et al. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2011 Apr;49(4):298-302. Paraquat is a herbicide that is linked to development of Parkinsons. It also is a toxin to lung cells and is used as a model of inducing lung injury in rats. In the current study the investigators wanted to see if administration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem [...]