In a recent study, mice who were afflicted with a congenital brain disorder have shown improvement after undergoing human brain stem cell transplants.
The congenital brain disorder in the mice was caused by lack of myelin. Myelin is needed in the brain for proper movement of electric signals in the brain and when these levels of myelin are lacking, the nerve cells are unable to synapse correctly and often the mice will die shortly after birth.
In humans, myelin deficiency is often seen as a symptom of those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.
While previous research studies examined the benefits of cell transplants on nerve fibers that were diseased, this study is the first where human Stem cells were being used via transplant with a positive outcome being noted.
Researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center in conjunction with Cornell, UCLA and Baylor used a new method of human stem cell harvesting. Combined with a multi-injection site transplant delivery aimed at increasing the take-up of the stem cells, the mice involved in the study showed improvement in myelin production. A number of mice in the study were saved by the transplant.
The researchers noted that this study is the first known Stem cell transplantation study that showed significant improvement on condition from the stem cell transplant. The future of stem cell transplants for the treatment of myelin deficiency in humans will be determined through future study.
