STEM CELLS FOR TREATING WASTED MUSCLES
Muscular dystrophies, which make the
MUSCLES to break down gradually, are caused by genetic disorders. Stem cells from
blood vessels has helped to treat muscular dystrophy and enabled the victims to walk normally when tried in dogs. Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a most common form of muscular dystrophies, is caused by mutations in the gene dystrophin eventually leading to paralysis and death. Trials have suggested that a type of stem cell, mesangioblast - living in the walls of blood vessels and can generate
MUSCLE cells- is beneficial in the treatment of this disorder in mice. Hence, the research
team led by Giulio Cossu of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy, studied the effect of stem cells in golden retriever dogs, an animal model closely resembling human condition. Blood vessel stem cells from normal
dogs were extracted and multiplied under lab condition. Then they
injected numerous cells into sick dogs in five monthly doses and the treated dogs could walk much better. The team claimed that they have already identified the equivalent human stem cells and the trials in disordered humans are expected to start in 2007. Advantage of using mesangioblasts is that they could be injected into the blood stream and swim to most muscles in the body whereas the stem cells from muscles or bone marrow either have revived only a few muscle fibres or needed to be injected directly into each muscle.
More abstracts about the Stem cells treat wasted muscles