A team using StemCells Inc's nerve stem cells taken from aborted fetuses found that even a month after injury, the cells took up residence in the spine, proliferated and helped mice walk better.
- "These exciting results demonstrate an expanded window of opportunity for human neural stem cell intervention in spinal cord injury,"
- The cells migrated through the spine, grew and began to function -- 64% of the stem-cell-treated mice walked better, compared to 44% of mice treated with ordinary cells and 20% of placebo-treated mice.
About 1.25 million Americans have chronic spinal cord injuries. "This latest study provides additional evidence that the use of our human neural stem cells may be a viable treatment approach for them,".
Cell treatment helps mice long after spine injury
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67H5HS20100818
(Reuters) - Immature human nerve cells grew in the spines of injured mice and helped them walk a little better, researchers said on Wednesday in a study they said shows it may be possible to treat patients weeks or months after their accidents.