Stem Cell NEWS

Considering the many emerging research studies on possible cord blood and cord tissue stem cell use, the future of stem cell treatments is very bright. Only the surface has been scratched when it comes to discovering the potential of these cells to treat diseases and disorders. New technologies that allow for the expansion of cord blood cells means that effective autologous therapy will be achievable well into adulthood. Additionally, research has shown that cord blood stem cells can also be effectively used for regeneration or repair, of non-hematopoietic tissues, such as the repair of joint damage through cartilage regeneration. Studies have also demonstrated that these cells are effective at modulating/reducing inflammation, and in the treatment of neurological disorders (ie. ALS, Alzheimer’s Disease, Stroke) that can occur later in life. Keeping up with the latest news inspires hope in the future.

Legislation reauthorizing the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act has been overwhelmingly passed by both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The bill authorizes $23 million per year for the next five years for cord blood inventory growth and diversity. The Cord Blood Association, together with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), worked tirelessly with members of Congress this year and testified in support of the legislation that totals $115 million for five years for the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI) and $150 million in that same period for blood and marrow transplant programs through the C.W. Bill Young Transplantation Program. 

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Stem cell therapy has shown immense potential for the treatment of neurological disorders. Now, research has shown that stem cells found in human umbilical cord tissue could one day be used to treat degenerative eye diseases.

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Researchers have now examined her blood and other tissues to see how they were affected by age. What they found suggests, as we could perhaps expect, that our lifespan might ultimately be limited by the capacity for stem cells to keep replenishing tissues day in day out.

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According to a study by Johns Hopkins researchers, specially engineered "helper cells" transplanted along with stem cells can dole out growth factors to increase the stem cells' endurance. The study is believed to be the first to test the helper-cell tactic, which hopefully someday will help to overcome a major barrier to successful stem cell transplants.

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Stem cell technology has long offered the hope of regenerating tissue to repair broken or damaged neural tissue. Findings from a team of UC Davis investigators have brought this dream a step closer by developing a method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin.

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HSCI scientists have developed new ways to identify, grow, sort, and transplant the dopamine-producing cells that are lost in Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, they have learned how to identify and remove unwanted cells prior to transplantation, such as cells that produce cerebrospinal fluid.

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Two-year-old Hannah Warren was born without a windpipe and has been unable to talk, swallow, or eat on her own. Her only hope was an artificial windpipe; an experimental device. Her medical team custom-designed a new windpipe using tiny plastic fibers. It was then bathed in stem cells taken from Hannah's bone marrow to promote tissue growth.

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One particular challenge has been to force cord blood stem cells to become anything other than a blood cell. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in collaboration with scientists in Barcelona, Spain, have succeeded in coaxing stem cells to become neurons, a groundbreaking step in the treatment of traumatic brain injury.

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The 5th ITERA Life-Sciences Consortium Symposium showcased the progress of stem cell research and promising therapeutic applications. Thanks to solid scientific data, researchers confirmed that umbilical cord blood stem cells are one of the prime sources to be used in current stem cell transplants, ongoing research and future regenerative medicine.

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A study compared mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord matrix (UCM-MSCs) with bone marrow (BM-MSCs) of miniature pigs on their phenotypic profiles and ability to differentiate in vitro into osteocytes, adipocytes and neuron-like cells. This study further evaluated the therapeutic potential of UCM-MSCs in a mouse Parkinson's disease model. 

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