Stem cells 'speed up body repairs'
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Last Modified: 18 Feb 2008
Source: PA News
Scientists are developing a revolutionary way to mend damaged bones
and cartilage using a patient's own stem cells.
They are working on a way of making stem cells grow into bone and
cartilage in the patient's body to speed up the repair process.
The research at the University of Edinburgh could have a major impact
on helping trauma victims whose bones have been shattered beyond
repair, and treating conditions such as osteoarthritis, scientists
said.
The process would involve taking stem cells from a patient's bone
marrow and culturing them to turn into bone or cartilage cells.
These cells would then be placed inside a "bioactive scaffold" made
of a fairly rigid mesh structure impregnated with molecules that
benefit the cells.
This would be placed inside the patient's body at the site of the
injury to boost the healing process.
The scaffold would protect the stem cells, while the molecules would
stimulate their growth into bone or cartilage.
Dr Brendon Noble, of the University of Edinburgh's MRC Centre for
Regenerative Medicine, said: "We hope that this will kick start the
body's natural healing processes, enabling cells to grow and carry
out repair to the damaged area. Half of us have some form of
orthopaedic surgery at some point in our lives.
"Although the specific group of patients who would receive the most
benefit from such therapy have yet to be determined, we envisage a
number of scenarios where this therapy could be used for cartilage
injuries or severe fractures."
He said it could be useful for helping elderly patients, whose bones
repair slowly, or people who have suffered high energy fractures such
as the kind sustained in road accidents, and could also help people
with cartilage damage.
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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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