Posted on 02/12/2005 9:32:12 PM PST by Coleus
Tech Central Station, February 11, 2005
Copyright 2005 Tech Central Station
Supporters of expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cell research were disappointed by President Bush's State of the Union Address, which indicated no softening of restrictions. Instead, he said hed work to ensure that human embryos are not created for experimentation. But those who truly believe ESC research will bring medical breakthroughs have naught to fear. For theres a far more promising approach, likelier to produce more benefits and much sooner.
We're being flooded with exciting new developments from the alternatives to ESCs, called adult stem cells. Taken from a person's own body or from umbilical cords or placenta, these cells are treating ever more diseases. Further, ASC research in humans and animals keeps biting away at the alleged trump card of ESCs that only they can be transformed into every type of cell in the body. Cardiologist Douglas Losordo's research lab at Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston has now become the latest indicate ASCs can do just that.
Reporting their results in the February Journal of Clinical Investigation, they extracted stem cells from the blood stream of three humans that originated in the bone marrow, thereby saving patients the trouble and pain of direct marrow extraction. They found what they believe to be a heretofore undiscovered type of cell, then injected these into the hearts of rats that had suffered heart attacks and subsequent formerly permanent damage.
It's not only hearts. Many parts of the human body are already being repaired with adult stem cells. |
As I have written on this website, marrow stem cells have been used to induce either muscle growth or vessel growth in human hearts in hundreds of patients in labs throughout the world. But this appears to be the first time both were grown at the same time by a single type of cell. Losordos team is now overseeing a trial using these cells on patients with untreatable severe angina. The safety looks good and majority of patients are doing much better, he told me.
More exciting yet, Losordo also conducted experiments showing their cells can also become nerve tissue. That means they could be transformed into all three major categories of cells, making them just as pliable as ESCs theoretically are.
Yet several other labs have also found different ASCs (all from marrow) that seem to have this same property. One of them was that of Ira Black, a neurologist at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. "I can't say I'm surprised" at Losordo's findings Black told me. "It's consistent with studies going on across the world. And one of the most exciting areas now is the use of ASCs in heart failure."
ESC scientist/activist Irving Weissman is among those who doggedly insist there's no good evidence that any type of adult stem cell can be converted into any other type. |
Brazil will also be financing this year studies with stem cells for treating spinal cord diseases, diabetes and degenerative nerve disorders like Parkinson's. The U.S. already is. While no ESC has even made it into animal testing, ASCs are now being used in about 300 human clinical trials and are treating over 80 different diseases.
As to the plasticity of Losordo's stem cells, Black says converting an ASC into a completely different kind of mature cell "was once thought impossible." Indeed some ESC researchers desperate for federal handouts still doggedly insist it is on par with saying lab rats can't squeak. The media rarely hesitate to repeat their claims. But "now 10 to 20 different labs have shown" such transformation is possible, says Black.
Losordo, however, says a major advantage of his adult stem cells is that they're much easier to grow than previously-discovered types. His team multiplied them 140 times with no change in their structure or effectiveness. Now, "We've got freezers full of them" he says. He told me he thinks his work combined with that of others could "render moot the debate between ESCs and ASCs." Says Losordo, "We're entering the second phase of development of adult stem cells. We'll soon be working on methods to enhance the efficiency of adult stem cells . . . while ESCs aren't even in the starting gate yet."
He notes ESC researchers continue to be flummoxed in trying to get ESC cells to become specific types of mature cells without inducing runaway cell growth malignancies called teratomas or monster cancer.
Losordo bemoans the broad-based assault by ESC researchers and the media to exaggerate the potential of ESC research while downplaying or even ignoring tremendous breakthroughs in ASC work. "I don't have any personal religious or other objections to ESC research despite the vowels in my name," he says, referring to his Italian Catholic heritage. "But as a clinical investigator I have an obligation to develop therapies that appear to be of most use to my patients."
Would that ESC boosters felt the same.
Read Michael Fumento's additional work on stem cells.
Michael Fumento is the author of numerous books. His book, BioEvolution: How Biotechnology Is Changing Our World, was published in 2003 by Encounter Books.
He notes ESC researchers continue to be flummoxed in trying to get ESC cells to become specific types of mature cells without inducing runaway cell growth malignancies called teratomas or monster cancer.
Why don't we simply harvest Stem Cells from Placenta? In many hospitals, the umbelical cord blood is kept 'just in case'.
They're doing it now with umbilical cords. Many states and blood banks are now storing these parts for the stem cells contained within them. The parents are notified before the birth, sign the papers and the parts are saved. If you want to save the umbilical cord for yourself it becomes very expensive since you have to pay for the subfreezing and storage.
Adult Stem Cells seem like the miracle that so many people with various debilitating diseases have been awaiting.
Ping!
Ping!
Fumento strikes again!
He is such a prolific source of solid information on this (at least 20 articles on stem cells) and about 50 OTHER subjects.
His early book The Myth of Heterosexual Aids is the best aids info I've seen. His site http://www.fumento.com/ is very well organized and easy to use.
Thanks, he's in the know.
Thanks for posting this.
Great article!
Thank you for the ping.
Another one to add to the website..
Let's also remember that Embryonic Stem Cells carry the DNA of a different person.
Leni
Absolutley..
Another one to add to the website..>>
Yes it is.
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