Paralyzed mice given stem cells walk again

September 20, 2005

WASHINGTON - Injections of human stem cells seem to directly repair

some of the damage caused by spinal cord injury, according to

research that helped partially paralyzed mice walk again.

The experiment, reported Monday, isn't the first to show that stem

cells offer tantalizing hope for spinal cord injury — other

scientists have helped mice recover, too.

But the new work went an extra step, suggesting the connections that

the stem cells form to help bridge the damaged spinal cord are key to

recovery.

Surprisingly, they didn't just form new nerve cells. They also formed

cells that create the biological insulation that nerve fibers need to

communicate. A number of neurological diseases, such as multiple

sclerosis, involve loss of that insulation, called myelin.

" The actual cells that we transplanted, the human cells, are the ones

that are making myelin, " explained lead researcher Aileen of

the University of California, Irvine. " We're extremely excited about

these cells. "

The research is reported in Monday's issue of Proceedings of the

National Academy of Sciences.

Stem cells are building blocks that turn into different types of

tissue. Embryonic stem cells in particular have made headlines

recently, as scientists attempt to harness them to regenerate damaged

organs or other body parts. They're essentially a blank slate, able

to turn into any tissue given the right biochemical instructions.

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