“Researchers have used stem cells obtained from human embryos to successfully treat Parkinson's disease in mice and rats, a key step in the quest to develop a similar approach for people.
In a study published Sunday in the journal Nature, scientists described how they converted human embryonic stem cells into nerve cells that produced the brain chemical dopamine. When these nerve cells were transplanted into the brains of mice and rats, they released dopamine and got rid of the animals' Parkinson's symptoms. The cells were also successfully transplanted into rhesus monkeys, whose biology is closer to that of humans.”
SOURCE - To read the complete article on The Wall Street Journal HEALTH site, please click HERE
Comments from International Stem Cell Corporation:
International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO) announced in July 2011 the initiation of a series of preclinical animal studies of neuronal cells derived from ISCO’s proprietary pluripotent stem cells. The studies will evaluate the in vivo safety and tumorigenicity of neuronal cells derived from ISCO's proprietary human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs), as well as their ability to develop into functioning dopaminergic neuron–like cells, a key milestone towards creating a cell-based therapy for Parkinson's Disease (PD).
Dr. Andrey Semechkin, Co-Chairman and CEO of ISCO, comments: “The ability of neuronal cells to become a specific type of neuron is one of the most important properties that these cells must have to be used in cell-based therapy of neurological disorders. These studies will bring us one step closer to our goal of being able to treat PD.”
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