Mouse study suggests human stem cells may repair spinal cord injury

[Coastie for Truth]

WASHINGTON Research that helped partially paralyzed mice walk again is offering tantalizing hope for spinal cord injuries.
In the mouse experiment, researchers say injections of human stem cells seem to directly repair some of the damage caused by spinal cord injury.

Earlier work has helped mice recover, too. But the new work goes an extra step, suggesting the connections that the stem cells form to help bridge the damaged spinal cord are key to recovery.

The research is reported in today's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

It was funded by the nonprofit Christopher Reeve Foundation and the National Institutes of Health

[babylonsister]

1. Thanks! This is more proof that stem cell research

must be allowed and funded. The majority of us know someone who could benefit from this research; it could save my step-son's life if they step it up.

[ck4829]

2. (Stammering)... Uh... The Jury's still out on Stem Cells!

[Geo55]

3. Ahhh......perspective...not in the dark ages...

at least in THIS country.....first ya gotta survive.

[VegasWolf]

4. Hey, we can't use that drop of goop to help a sick person, that drop

of goop may one day become a child!

:sarcasm:

[CONN]

5. Good news! and link for NPR's report

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4854902

[Pastiche423]

6. This is news?

I have been hearing the same thing for over seven years.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. Ya don't need stem cells ya need Jaysus

Go to a Benny Hihn revival. He fixes spines every day.

:sarcasm:

[delete_bush]

8. yeah, but can he help a

partially paralyzed mouse walk again?

The resistance from the fundies especially to stem cell but really to any type of non-military research is appalling.

The cutting edge of medicine, energy and other hi-tech industry is where the high paying jobs of the near future are. Trying to communicate this to the Bible thumpers is a lost cause and will continue to seriously impede progress.

East and west coasters need to seriously consider if secession is viable. The progressive ones will eventually relocate.

[deadparrot]

9. Study: Stem Cells May Repair Cord Damage

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.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050920/ap_on_sc/stem_cells

[Botany]

10. They have been doing work on this @ Case Western Med School

but India, Korea, Japan, and the EU are all working on this
too. And we are falling behind because of the fear mongering
of the religious right who see any advancement in science as
as a threat to their money and power .........

[BSDRebel]

11. Chris Reeve...you died to soon

If only we could have saved you....

[ChairmanAgnostic]

12. SHAME on those scientists! Don't they know gawd's will when they see it?

How DARE they try to use techology to treat illness, disease and injury? Only Faith can do that. Nothing but the Faith. The Whole Faith.

:sarcasm:
stem cells, schmem cells. Heathens. Agnostics. Atheists. Evil non believers! YOU WILL ROT IN
- ooops. sorry.

I was just attacked at home this evening by a troop of three bible-beating-bastards who pretended to be collecting for Katrina - while actually grabbing money for their faith based institution a mile away. All three actually believe that the world was created 6,000 years ago. bright eyed, and shrubby tailed, they have had their brains washed, and can't do a think with them.

the better question is "How DARE they come invade my home and preach to me at night?"

[Igel]

13. My bet is that this gets less public support than

the use of embryonic stem cells. But by taking the route they took, they avoided the most serious problem with embryonic stem cells: their instability, or, as I think the researchers put it, the lack of "commitment" to a developmental pathway.

You can dispute exactly when human life begins: fertilization, conception, or birth. But I'm betting there's a rather large contingent that would think fertilized, unimplanted blastocytes count for a lot less than fetuses. I can't help but wonder if that's why most of the MSM reports don't report the kind of stem cells used. (Apart from the usual 'all stem cells are embryonic stem cells ... aren't they?' ignorance.)

On the other hand, the researchers are out on the question of whether so-called adult stem cells would do the same thing. They haven't checked, and so have no opinion.

The article is open for all to read: no charge for access.