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Stem cells - a cure for fatal muscular dystrophy
July 04, 2002The diagnosis 'muscular dystrophy' is usually tantamount to a death sentence for those affected. One in three thousand male babies suffer from this incurable hereditary disease. The progress of the disease can only be slowed down through physiotherapy and medication. Scientists at Bonn University and at Pittsburgh Children's Hospital (USA) have now isolated a specific type of stem cell which can improve the regeneration of damaged muscle cells in mice suffering from muscular dystrophy. The results have now been published in the prestigious Journal of Cell Biology (Vol. 157 (5), pp. 851-864).
The teams working with US researcher Dr. Johnny Huard and the Bonn physiologist Professor Anton Wernig were able to isolate a specific type of adult stem cell from the muscles of mice. The cells can replace degenerate muscular tissue in mice suffering from muscular dystrophy, doing this better than has hitherto been possible with other cells.
The stem cells raise hopes of more effective therapies for degenerative muscular diseases like Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. Up to now in transplants of muscle cells scientists have primarily had to contend with the low survival and reproduction rates of the available cell lines; what is more, the transplant generally triggered a persistent immune response, which eventually led to rejection of the new cells. 'However, we should not overrate these findings,' Professor Wernig warns. 'The cell type discovered in the mouse has not yet been proved to exist in humans.' However, he added that investigations along these lines were already being carried out as part of an EU project.
It is almost exclusively men who contract MD; as a consequence of a genetic defect those affected by this disease cannot synthesise important proteins needed by the muscle's metabolism. The muscle tissue progressively decomposes so that, in most cases, children are forced to use a wheelchair before they are ten years old. Finally the respiratory muscles and the myocardium are also affected. Patients die of cardiac insufficiency or dyspnoea.
Apart from the significance for muscle regeneration, the cell type detected appears to have wider ranging characteristics. 'In contrast to normal muscle stem cells from mice these stem cells are pluripotent,' Professor Wernig explains. 'They can also develop into different types of tissue, e.g. cartilage cells.' The cells do not lose their promising features even after the cells have divided several times. It has also been possible to isolate such pluripotent adult stem cells from other types of tissue, especially from bone marrow. Apart from embryonal stem cells they are regarded as the great white hope for future organ replacements.
Bonn, Universitaet
It is almost exclusively men who contract MD; as a consequence of a genetic defect those affected by this disease cannot synthesise important proteins needed by the muscle's metabolism. The muscle tissue progressively decomposes so that, in most cases, children are forced to use a wheelchair before they are ten years old. Finally the respiratory muscles and the myocardium are also affected. Patients die of cardiac insufficiency or dyspnoea.
Apart from the significance for muscle regeneration, the cell type detected appears to have wider ranging characteristics. 'In contrast to normal muscle stem cells from mice these stem cells are pluripotent,' Professor Wernig explains. 'They can also develop into different types of tissue, e.g. cartilage cells.' The cells do not lose their promising features even after the cells have divided several times. It has also been possible to isolate such pluripotent adult stem cells from other types of tissue, especially from bone marrow. Apart from embryonal stem cells they are regarded as the great white hope for future organ replacements.
Bonn, Universitaet
Stem Cells Current Events and Stem Cells News RSSNew discovery about the formation of new brain cells
The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also important for the migration of new nerve cells through the brain tissue, reveals new research from the Sahlgrenska Academy published in the journal Stem Cells.
Umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant may help lung, heart disorders
Two separate studies published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (18:8), - now freely available on-line have shown that transplanted human-derived umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells transplanted in an animal model had positive therapeutic effects on specific lung and heart disorders the animal models.
Gene mismatch influences success of bone marrow transplants
A commonly inherited gene deletion can increase the likelihood of immune complications following bone marrow transplantation, an international team of researchers reports in the November 22 advance online issue of Nature Genetics.
New research shows versatility of amniotic fluid stem cells
For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that stem cells found in amniotic fluid meet an important test of potential to become specialized cell types, which suggests they may be useful for treating a wider array of diseases and conditions than scientists originally thought.
First reconstitution of an epidermis from human embryonic stem cells
Stem cell research is making great strides. This is yet again illustrated by a study carried out by the I-STEM* Institute (I-STEM/ Inserm UEVE U861/AFM), published in the Lancet on 21 November 2009. The I-STEM team, directed by Marc Peschanski has just succeeded in recreating a whole epidermis from human embryonic stem cells.
Bone Implant Offers Hope for Skull Deformities
A synthetic bone matrix offers hope for babies born with craniosynostosis, a condition that causes the plates in the skull to fuse too soon.
Your Own Stem Cells Can Treat Heart Disease
The largest national stem cell study for heart disease showed the first evidence that transplanting a potent form of adult stem cells into the heart muscle of subjects with severe angina results in less pain and an improved ability to walk. The transplant subjects also experienced fewer deaths than those who didn't receive stem cells.
Is hepatic differentiation of embryonic stem cells induced by valproic acid and cytokines?
Embryonic stem (ES) cells, known for their capacity to proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into almost all types of cells including hepatocytes, have raised the hope of cellular replacement therapy for liver failure.
Paradoxical protein might prevent cancer
One difficulty with fighting cancer cells is that they are similar in many respects to the body's stem cells. By focusing on the differences, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have found a new way of tackling colon cancer. The study is presented in the prestigious journal Cell.
U of M researchers find 2 units of umbilical cord blood reduce risk of leukemia recurrence
A new study from the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota shows that patients who have acute leukemia and are transplanted with two units of umbilical cord blood (UCB) have significantly reduced risk of the disease returning.
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