Stem cells from a patient's fat may be used to create new nerves
that can repair severed peripheral nerves (nerves outside the spinal
cord), say scientists from Manchester University, England. The
researchers say this route for creating new nerves could be part of
medical practice by the year 2011.
The scientists said their aim is to put the new nerve tissue inside
a biodegradable plastic tube, insert in at the broken ends of the
severed nerve, and rejoin them in a human. This procedure could help
a considerable number of people. They say they have had promising
results with rats.
You can read about this study in Experimental Neurology.
Current medicine offers very limited procedures to help restore
peripheral nerves. Nerves from elsewhere can sometimes be used-
however, the risk of additional damage is significant, and even when
there are results they hardly ever restore perfect function, say the
authors.
The team managed to extract stem cells from the fat tissue of rats,
and tweaked them to become neurons in the lab. Their aim now is to
do the same, but with stem cells that come from human fat. They plan
to create a replacement nerve, place it in a biodegradable sheath,
and attach it to the severed part of the nerve. The result would be
that the severed nerve would be joined again.
If successful, this technique could be used in any part of the body.
"The differentiated stem cells have great potential for future
clinical use, initially for treatment of patients with traumatic
injuries of nerves in the arms and legs," said Dr Paul Kingham, team
leader. As a study to find out how effective the biodegradable tube
is is now being carried out, Kingham believes we could be about four
years away from an effective treatment for severed peripheral
nerves.
Severed nerves can be caused by an accident, as well as surgery - a
surgeon in his/her attempt to remove a large tumor may have to cut
and damage nerves in order to do so.
In the UK about 1 in every 1,000 people suffers from peripheral
nerve injury - a total of about 50,000 people in the UK and 300,000
people in the USA.
Be well,
Jim AKA- pigiron308@yahoo.
groups.yahoo.
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StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:
Children's Neurobiological Solutions
http://www.CNSfoundation.org/
Cord Blood Registry
http://www.CordBlood.com/at.cgi?a=150123
The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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