Stem Cell Research

[Barb]

November 21, 2007: In the News



In the news


Stem Cell Research Breakthrough

Researchers say they have successfully modified skin cells to mimic stem cells, which could lead to a method to ease the ethical debate over embryonic stem cell research. The technique involves a genetic recipe that would give ordinary skin cells the power to transform into virtually any kind of human tissue. Scientists behind these latest studies cautioned that the process remains too risky to apply to human disease therapies and such procedures are still many years away.

As Reported by Los Angeles Times

[kali]

theres alot of articles online about stem cell research, it has really caught my curiousity. do you think it might be something that might help people with sb in the future?

[lolathechecker]

yay stem cell research! i think it could eventually be used for sb, but thats all theoretical. stem cells are found inutero (inside the umbelical cord and the baby) and they are cells that will reproduce similar cells to those around them. i dont know how much they know about what stem cells do with nerve cells, but if they could be used to repair damaged nerve cells, then they could probably be used to repair some of the damage that spina bifida causes to the spinal cord. maybe to help the nerves leading to bladder and bowel functions and even the ones responsible for sensation in the lower portions of the body.

[kali]

sounds great! i HOPE THE RESEARCH WILL BE TAKING FURTHER! going to read up on this
thanks lolathechecker

[lolathechecker]

hey if you like science stuff, look at the link in my science geek thread. this guys finger got cut off and they made his body re-grow the finger with a nail and everything!:eek: its something they've developed using cells from a pigs bladder!

[kali]

oh my sounds really amazing, but a pigs bladder yuck! how in the world did the finger grow back? sounds neat will check it out
thanks, by the way I also like science stuff

[stub20]

thats great about the stem cell. There was a programme on TV in the uk about stem cell research, and it showed one wman who had MS, and the treatment was very successful. I hope that they can do things with SB in the future.

I heard about the pigs blood also, and they are now hoping that they can grow limbs back too, but I think thats a long way off yet.

[sbartolini]

There have already been clinical trials involving infants and children with spina bifida. This research was conducted at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AAIMS), and conducted by Dr. D.K Gupta (and others). Results show improvement in 50% of the cases! Here are the paragraphs pertaining to spina bifida:

"The ages of meningomyelocele patients were between 0 and 1 month; 1-5 months and 1-4 year in 5; 8 and 2 cases, respectively. Five had history of rupture and three had undergone meningomyelocele repair in the past but had neurological deficiency. Redo surgery for tethered cord was done in one, meningomyelocele repair and stem cells injection was done in 12, only stem cells injection was given in two. Two patients had only meningocele. There was smooth post-operative recovery in all of them with no complications noted

Follow up (3-11 months) in 14 cases showed improved power in four (28%), dramatic recovery in three (22%) and status quo in seven (50%) [Table - 2]. Dramatic recovery was taken as improvement in grade of motor power by more than two or improvement in bladder or bowel continence. One patient is still under observation. Out of seven patients with status quo, the motor power was already good in five."

You may read the full report at:
http://www.jiaps.com/article.asp?issn=0971-9261;year=2006;volume=11;issue=4;spage=211;epage=2 17;aulast=Sharma#

Very encouraging!

[dsmith]

My daughter is 2 1/2 and has Spina Bifida. We did not know until she was born that she had SB. I just happened to bank her cord blood, which means that we have her own stem cells. The only problem is that no one is doing research. I read about and emailed Dr. Gupta in India. My only response was that they are no longer doing studies. I also corresponded with a stem cell researcher that basically dismissed the India study and told me wait and something may be around in the future.

Promising news is that the Childrens hospital in Boston is introducing prenatal neural stem cells to the spinal cord for fetal repair of SB. This still doesn't help the people who are already born and afflicted. I am currently trying to find out how many other people have their cord blood banked. I have found one other person so far. If we can get a group together we may have more success in finding someone to do research and even to answer questions. Finding doctors and researchers to answer questions is near impossible. If anyone know of others with banked cord blood, please contact me by "private message" on my profile page

This coming Monday the President will sign a bill allowing federal funding to be used for stem cell research. Let's say some prayers for SB research and stem cells.

[Meljo]

I am a dental hygienist and the new thing is stem cells in baby teeth or impacted wisdom teeth!!

[bcain]

Meljo, that's cool. who knows what's next. I did hear today that a lab in Rochester,NY regrew a tooth in a rat, using stem cells. That's good news. I'd like that option instead of an implant surgery.(of course it'll be too late for me).

[kali]

There is so much going with stem cells! I have met a mother of a little boy with sb on line. they are now in china and her son is recieving stem cells by IV injections. Already there is some improvement in strength and movement. I am so excited about this. I really believe this is the answer, the way to help sb.
kali

[Barb]

Hey Kali! So good to hear from you. I was starting to get worried. I need to do more research on stem cells. It makes so sense. The US is so behind the times due to the politics of it all. We were able to just approve more research so *fingers crossed*:goodpost:

[kali]

hi barb thanks for caring...huggsss as for stem cells it on everyone lips these days, such a hot issue, and its helping so many people with all sorts of problems, it truly is amazing. most people around here seem to go for the adult stem cells, mwhich is safer and of course not against peoples beliefs. huggss barb ive missed you

[kidsrustx]

I wish there was more advertising and a push for cord blood donation. I think most parents aren't aware that that is an option. They can donate these precious stem cells at no cost to themselves. If every babies cord blood was saved rather than thrown away, there would be less need for embryonic stem cells, wouldn't there?

(I donated my younger son's cord blood when he was born.)

[bcain]

There was no donation program in our area for cord blood donation. It was a very costly endeaver to privately store cord blood for an unknown length of time. The Dr's I spoke to about it didn't think it would be necessary. Their thought being that when the science is perfected that donated cells or your own cells would be used for treatment. The science recently does support this as well. They can create stem cells from skin cells, they can retrieve stem cells from teeth.

[kidsrustx]

There is no donation program in my area either. But I heard about Cryobanks International who does donations nationwide when I was pregnant with my second son (born 4/2004). They are in Florida, and they send a kit. When you have your baby, your doctor collects the cord blood. You then call a number provided by Cryobanks. They send a carrier within a couple of hours to pick up the cord blood. Costs you nothing and better than wasting it.

[Daniels Mum]

Hi there from New Zealand. We banked our son's cord blood with Cordbank. They had an article in their magazine about using stem cells to repair acute spinal cord injury in dogs. This was done by the Department of Veterinary Science and Veterinary Anatomy at Konkuk University, South Korea. A Dr Han (President and founder of Histostem) is quoted. He may be a good starting point. I asked if someone could define injury ie can Spina Bifida be classed as an injury or does there have to be a 'trauma' site ? I would be interested to learn of any developments.

[SamiJo17]

Here's a link where a mom is talking about her experience with her son getting stem cell injections for her son with SB. She has a couple other videos too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrpx60cm1xE

[miss quick wheelz]

I'm a huge fan of stem cell research. I do hope that it can help SB patients someday soon. I believe it will. I haven't given up hope yet. As the great actor Christopher Reeve said, "Nothing is Impossible" :)