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Feb 20, 2008 11:44 am US/Eastern
Study: Stem Cells Correct Stroke Damage in Rats
(CBS4)
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Study shows embryonic stem cells corrects brain damage suffered during strokes in rats.
AP
Embryonic stem cells helped correct brain damage in stroke-related cases in rats, according to U.S. News and World Report. The study, by Stanford University researchers, was published in the February 20 edition of Public Library of Science ONE.
Researchers say neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells led to improvements in the rat' physical abilities. This marks the first tie that scientists used embryonic stems cell therapies to generate neural that grow well in a lab, don't consistently form tumors, and helped repair stroke damage.
The study showed researchers grew embryonic stem cells with a combination of growth hormones that prodded the cells to mature into stable stem cells. This step proved important, because immature cells can grow uncontrollably into tumors.
After being transplanted into the brains of 10 rats with brain damage caused by a stroke, the neural stem cells had moved into the damaged area of the brain and attached to the surrounding tissue. The rats that received the transplants were better able to use their forelimbs than rats that had similar brain damage but didn't receive any treatment.
Researchers say the findings of the study show the potential of using stem cell therapies to treat strokes. They also noted this was a small study and more research is needed to see if this approach will work in humans.
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