Adult stem cells, that is.

University of Manchester researchers have transformed fat tissue stem cells into nerve cells — and now plan to develop an artificial nerve that will bring damaged limbs and organs back to life.

In a study published in October’s Experimental Neurology, Dr Paul Kingham and his team at the UK Centre for Tissue Regeneration (UKCTR) isolated the stem cells from the fat tissue of adult animals and differentiated them into nerve cells to be used for repair and regeneration of injured nerves. They are now about to start a trial extracting stem cells from fat tissue of volunteer adult patients, in order to compare in the laboratory human and animal stem cells.

Research continues in both adult and embryonic stem cells, but the big news from adult stem cells just keep coming and coming. What’s interesting is that this breakthrough could lead to the very result that the late Christopher Reeve and other supporters was suggesting could happen only if the feds paid for embryonic stem cell research. But here we have stem cells that could potentially repair nerves with nary an ethical or moral issue.

So why the exaggerated imperative over embryonic stem cells? One has to wonder.

[tags]Christopher Reeve,stem cells,medicine,science,Paul Kingham,University of Manchester,artificial nerve,bionic nerve[/tags]

Related posts:

  1. Adult Stem Cells: The Trend Continues
  2. Less and Less of a Need For Embryonic Stem Cells
  3. Two Fewer Reasons to Use Embryonic Stem Cells
  4. Embryonic Stem Cells From Skin
  5. Turning Blood Cells Into Stem Cells

Filed under: Doug • Medicine • Science • Stem Cells

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