Hopes raised for spinal injury as stem cells are 'virtually identical'RSS Feed

Spinal cord injury patients may be another step closer to treatment that could repair damaged nerve tissue.

According to research from the Whitehead Institute in the US, human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells display very few differences.

iPS cells are created by introducing three genes that effectively "reprogramme" the cell to a more flexible, embryonic state.

It had been suggested that iPS and ES cells vary in the types of genes they express, suggesting a major hurdle to regenerative therapy.

"iPS cells may indeed hold the clinical promise ascribed to them earlier," said the study's authors.

The main benefit of iPS cells, if they can be harnessed, is that the patient is far less likely to reject the cells as they have been taken from his or her own body.

"This difference overcomes a major hurdle in regenerative medicine," the researchers explained.

The news comes after the biopharmaceutical firm Geron received approval to commence human clinical trials of stem cell treatment on spinal injury patients.

News from Serious Law, specialist spinal injury solicitors

Posted by Matthew Heap

Spinal injury charity advises on drug policy

04 August 2010

A leading spinal injury charity has been working with the government on the UK's approach to drugs, it has emerged.Aspire helped to launch the UK Drugs Policy Commission paper Impact of Drugs on Different...

Read More...

Possible stem cell breakthrough for spinal injury patients

03 August 2010

Spinal injury sufferers may be among several groups of patients who could benefit from new research into stem cell therapy.Scientists at the University of Michigan have developed a new technique of producing...

Read More...

Geron gets FDA approval for spinal cord injury clinical trial

02 August 2010

Spinal cord injury patients could be one step closer to seeing stem cell-based treatments being used in humans, after a leading biotech company got the go-ahead to proceed with clinical trials.California-based...

Read More...