Thread: Scientists are moving closer to using stem cells from the patient themselves to treat
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Old 04-08-2008, 09:15 AM
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Default Reprogrammed Stem Cells work on Parkinson's
Reprogrammed Stem Cells work on Parkinson's

A study in rodents suggests that skin cells can be transformed into neurons to treat neurodegeneration.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008
By Courtney Humphries

When researchers announced two years ago that they had found a way to turn ordinary skin cells into stem cells, it opened up the possibility that stem cell therapies might sidestep the logistical and ethical hurdles of obtaining stem cells from embryos. These "reprogrammed" stem cells seem to have the ability to transform into any kind of cell, a property known as pluripotency. But the concept has also met with skepticism about the abilities and potential dangers of the cells. A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by scientists at MIT and Harvard shows that reprogrammed cells, also called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, can become functioning neurons when transplanted into the brains of mice and rats; the researchers also showed that the cells can improve symptoms in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

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