At last! I can make a difference!!
;-)
Posted on 12/12/2006 3:27:32 PM PST by wagglebee
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) -- Scientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin have found what may be another alternative to embryonic stem cells. They have found that adult stem cells from hair follicles, which don't involve the destruction of human life to obtain, are different from other types of skin cells.
The researchers recently identified the molecular signature of hair follicle stem cells called epidermal neural crest stem cells.
The college says the study resolves conflicting scientific opinions by showing that these cells are distinctly different from other types of skin-resident stem cells.
The MCW research team has reported their findings in a recent issue of Stem Cells: The International Journal of Cell Differentiation and Proliferation.
Epidermal neural crest stem cells are found in the bulge of hair follicles and have characteristics that combine some advantages of embryonic and adult stem cells, according to lead researcher, Maya Sieber-Blum, Ph.D.
Similar to embryonic stem cells, they have a high degree of plasticity, can be isolated at high levels of purity, and can be expanded in culture.
Sieber-Blum says the hair cells are similar to other types of adult stem cells, as they are readily accessible through a minimally invasive procedure and could lead to using a patient's own hair as a source for therapy without the controversy or transplant problems associated with embryonic stem cells. "We see the potential for cell replacement therapy in which patients can be their own donors, which would avoid ethical issues and reduce the possibility of tissue incompatibility," says Dr. Sieber-Blum.
The Medical College team in collaboration with Prof. Martin Schwab, director of the Brain Research Institute of the University of Zьrich, recently injected these cells in mice with spinal cord injuries.
According to the study, when grafted into the spine, the cells not only survived, but also demonstrated several desirable characteristics that could lead to local nerve replacement and re-myelination (restoration of nerve pathways and sheaths).
Neural crest stem cells generate a wide array of cell types and tissues. The cells can be isolated from the hair follicle bulge as multipotent stem cells, and then expanded in culture into millions of cells without losing stem cell markers.
"We grafted the cells into mice that have spinal cord injuries and were encouraged by the results. The cells survived and integrated into the spinal cord, remaining at the site of transplantation and not forming tumors," Dr. Sieber-Blum says.
The transplant of embryonic stem cells have caused problems in animal research because they have formed tumors that would cause severe problems in humans.
Sieber-Blum points out that the hair follicle cells may also be useful to treat Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Hirschsprung's disease, stroke, peripheral neuropathies and ALS. Certain defects of the heart, and bone defects could also be treated through neural crest stem cell replacement therapy.
Glad to do it!
Similar to embryonic stem cells, they have a high degree of plasticity, can be isolated at high levels of purity, and can be expanded in culture.
. . . hair follicle cells may also be useful to treat Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Hirschsprung's disease, stroke, peripheral neuropathies and ALS. Certain defects of the heart, and bone defects could also be treated through neural crest stem cell replacement therapy.
Never mind that! You say these hair folicles "can be expanded in culture?" Can you restore my hair with these things?!</sarcasm>
I think BykrBayb made an important point. The drug companies will not invest in embryonic stem cell research, because they realize that it will not pay-off. However, they will push for embryonic stem cell research at the taxpayer's expense in hopes that they will be able to make money on the negative side effects. Of course, they continue to pour billions into adult stem cell research and this is paying off handsomely for them.
I have no scientific evidence (that I've botheres to read, anyways). But I wonder if there are not more of these cells available -- probably in the finger tips..cuticles, mucus membranes, etc..any tissues that are regenerated fast and frequently. I think I'll look this info up.
The anti-rejection medicine is sucha pain too...Compromised imune system...and often Shingles (due to increased Chickenpox virus activity)
At last! I can make a difference!!
;-)
Here's a quick example for you.
Challenges of stem-cell researchGranted, that's not a typical example. Most articles supporting embryonic stem cell research never mention embryos, or any form of the word. This one uses both terms interchangeably.Advocates of stem-cell research must be vigilant if they wish to keep a narrow, ostensibly "pro-life" agenda from impeding scientific progress. In late 2004, a broad array of experts met in Cambridge to identify ways to advance embryonic stem-cell research. Some have been implemented -- including state-by-state legislation to encourage research, and education campaigns that humanize diseases that might respond to stem-cell treatment.
Here's another example:
South Is Limiting the GOPWithout going into detail on other inconvenient facts (like they didn't block any research, not even embryonic stem cell research), the author's complaint is related to embryonic stem cell research funds, not all stem cell research, regardless of source of cells and source of funding. Just lump it all together. The readers will never notice.Following the gospel according to Rove (fear not swing voters but pander to and mobilize thy base), George W. Bush and the Republican Congress, together or separately, had already blocked stem cell research...
Another:
Pro-life policies the focus: DLPI sincerely doubt he wants stem cell research to be a criminal offense, but that's what the article says.Mr Mulholland said its priority was to focus on opposing the decriminalisation of abortion, stem cell research and euthanasia.
Another:
RELIGION-THE ENEMY OF SOCIETYAnd another:At present, we incessantly hear the Vatican and other Christian organizations arguing against stem cell research and other technologies.
Election Postgame from the Technoprogressive PerspectiveHe's talking about embryonic stem cell research funding, but he carefully omits the word "embryonic."I have already argued that technoprogressive topics and positions assumed a real force in mainstream political life this election cycle, with targeted initiatives on stem-cell research funding...
My point is that the left wing media makes no distinction between embryonic stem cells, umbilical cord stem cells, and adult stem cells. They tell their readers, viewers and listeners that the conservative Christian pro-life nut jobs oppose all stem cell research, implying that even the conservative Christian pro-life nut jobs concede that all stem cells are alike. I'd still like to know how many of their consumers believe their lies.
ESCR should be a dead issue, it just does NOT work. For almost 26 yrs. ESCR has been a flop, not ONE successful Human Clinical Trial. There is only one way to go the moral, effective and ethical way: Adult, non-embryonic.
This could have some HUGH ramifications for those suffering from MS.
Neat!!
Medical College team seeks stem cell patent Potentially useful adult stem cells found in hair follicles
Research that led to the finding was outlined in a recent issue of Stem Cells: The International Journal of Cell Differentiation and Proliferation. The research was conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Maya Sieber-Blum, and the article was co-authored by Yao Fei Hu and Zhi-Jian Zhang, both researchers in cell biology, neurobiology, and anatomy at the Medical College[snip]Specific defects of the heart, and bone defects like degeneration and craniofacial birth defects, also could also be treated through neural crest stem cell replacement therapy, she added.
These conditions affect more than 11 million people in the United States, and annually cost an estimated $170 billion or more.[snip]
Not taken for granted
To determine, in collaboration with Brian Schmit, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Marquette University, whether the grafts lead to an improvement of spinal reflexes in the injured spinal cord of mice, Sieber-Blum's work is supported by a grant from the Biomedical Technology Alliance. The alliance is a Milwaukee inter-institutional research group.
Philadelphia - Dr. George Xu, a professor of pathology at the University of Pennsylvania, discovered a new type of adult stem cell that can be harvested from human hair follicles."These stem cells are quite different than stem cells that have been discovered before in human hair follicles... We call them 'hair spheres,'" Xu said. These hair spheres can be harvested and so far differentiated into six different cells, including neurons, adipose, and muscle tissue, among others. Xu said that they have enormous clinical application, with the possibility of treating Alzheimer's disease and muscular dystrophy.
"It's possible we can even make them into different shapes, other types of cells," Xu added.
Stem cell research has triggered a national debate, as scientists prefer to extract them from human embryos. President Bush signed an order forbidding federal funding for such research, since it involves the destruction of a potential human life.
However, Xu's research shows promise that scientists can honor such ethical concerns and still obtain the stem cells they desire, since hair follicles come from adults and are plentiful.
While embryonic stem cells grow faster and have a higher degree of differentiation, Xu says his approach has a better trade-off. He notes there is a possibility that a patient's body would reject an embryonic stem cell transplant, since they are foreign cells from another person.
"But if we can isolate the adult (hair follicle) stem cells from the same patient, and then we manipulate them in a culture medium, and then if we inject them back, since they are from the same patient, they will not cause a rejection," Xu said.
Xu's team starts with a small biopsy of the scalp, where they isolate the hair follicle, a process that only takes a day. They then proliferate the cells in a medium by adding growth factors, such as insulin, until they form into spheres, which takes four weeks. They follow by isolating the stem cells and begin the differentiation process, which takes another two-to-three weeks.
Xu said the stem cells his team discovered are similar to those discovered in mice, but scientists never knew before that they were also in human hair follicles. His hair spheres are unlike the previously discovered epithelial stem cells, which are also in hair follicles but have limited differentiation.
Xu said he worked with the scientist who discovered epithelial stem cells in the past.
"If we want to use them for therapeutic purposes, we will need lots of cells, so how to grow more and faster is what we're focusing on now," Xu said, adding that it will take another few years to speed up the process. His team of seven, which is a collaboration with the Wistar Institute, worked on the project for the last three years, but didn't make the breakthrough discovery of the new stem cell until last July. They are seeking funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Xu said his discovery hasn't yet received much attention from legislators, but has attracted venture capitalists and pharmaceutical companies.
Xu went to medical school in China, before earning his Ph.D. at Wake Forrest University and completing his residency at the University of Pennsylvania and a clinical fellowship at Harvard Medical School. Xu recently became an American citizen. "It's a land of opportunity, if you work hard you can achieve what you hope for," he said.
Pinged from Terri DECEMBER Dailies
8mm
bump & a ping
For the benefit of those who may not know, all you need to do in order to obtain an author's most recent articles is enter into PubMed's query box the last name and one or two initials, e.g. Zhang ZJ
Bump
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.