Restoring
Function after Stroke with Adult Stem Cells
A new study indicates that function can be restored long after stroke
damage by stimulating adult stem cells in the brain. Scientists at
UC-Irvine found that a natural growth factor called Transforming Growth
Factor-alpha (TGFα) stimulates adult stem cells in the affected brain
to divide, migrate through the brain, and repair the damage. Using a
rat model for stroke, they injected the TGFα protein directly into the
brain as much as 4 weeks after the stroke damage, and found 99%
recovery. Darius Gleason, a graduate student who worked on the study,
said:
“It’s becoming more and more clear that the brain is like any other
organ: It has a lot of potential to regenerate. We are just emulating
nature by giving a little nudge to what the brain is trying to do
itself.”
In a new study just published, the group has shown that even nasal
administration of TGFα can give significant recovery (70%). This
non-invasive route could have great therapeutic application.
Previously, German researchers showed nasal administration of adult
stem cells was an effective delivery method. This new study shows that
using only the stimulatory protein can also be very effective at
stimulating the existing adult stem cells already present in the brain.
A clinical trial is currently under way in Houston that injects the
stroke patient’s bone marrow adult stem cells into the circulatory
system; the cells seem to migrate to the injured brain and stimulate
repair. Early results from this trial are very promising for stroke
treatment.
Contact: David Prentice
Source:
FRCBlog
Publish
Date:
January 15, 2010
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