Stem Cells May Be at Root of Recurrent Colon Cancer
Canadian and Italian researchers have made a potential major breakthrough in the fight against cancer. Using specially bred mice that lack immune systems, the team discovered the importance of stem cells in cancer regeneration by implanting cells from human colorectal tumors. What they found was that of the more than 60,000 cells present in the tumor, only one – the stem cell – was capable of regenerating the cancer. Currently cancer treatments including radiation and chemotherapy are directed at eliminating the entire tumor, which - if these studies prove correct - would mean these treatments have been going after the wrong culprit. "If you want to win a chess game, you've got to knock off a lot of the pawns and knights," said Alan Bernstein, president of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research in Ottawa. "But at the end of the day, you've got to capture the king. So, I think we've got to focus on capturing the king." Any new treatment developments, however, will likely not become available for at least another 5-10 years, Bernstein stated. CBC.caNovember 13, 2006
Stem Cells May Bring Cure for Diabetes
Researchers at New Orleans’ Tulane University have used stem cells from human bone marrow to repair defective insulin-producing pancreatic cells responsible for diabetes in mice, and are hopeful the method will be adaptable to humans. The mice chosen for the experiment had high blood sugar and damaged kidneys. To test the treatment one group was injected with the stem cells and another was not. After three weeks the mice injected with the stem cells were producing higher levels of insulin and had lower blood sugar levels than the untreated mice. Although as yet the researchers are not certain as to whether the kidneys were repaired as a result of the stem cells or the reduced blood sugar levels, the study is considered to be an exciting development in a much needed area of development. Currently some 20 million American adults and children suffer from diabetes, and the numbers are growing. News.BBC.co.ukNovember 10, 2006
Cord Blood Stem Cells turned into Lung Cells
U.S researches have stated they have successfully turned umbilical cord blood stem cells into lung cells called type II alveolar cells. These cells tend to develop in late fetal development, which is why premature babies are at a higher risk of being born with underdeveloped lungs. David McKenna, medical director of the Clinical Cell Therapy Lab at the University of Minnesota stated the findings may mean that, "In the future, we may be able to examine cord blood from babies who have lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, to do more research to understand how these diseases evolve, as well as to develop better medical treatments." UPI.comNovember 3, 2006
Researchers Develop Human Liver Cells from Umbilical Cord Blood
British researchers at Newcastle University have developed liver cells from umbilical cord blood using a microgravity bioreactor – a machine based on NASA technology that encourages cell growth by simulating weightlessness. Although the breakthrough was not largely publicized in North America, it could be a very significant advancement, allowing researchers to potentially grow a human liver for disease testing – thereby eliminating the potential risks and humanitarian dilemmas of human and animal-based medication trials. And while the long-term plan is to develop livers for transplant purposes, scientists say that technology is more than a decade away. The use of umbilical cord blood for organ production instead of embryonic stem cells, supporters say, is a real ethical leap forward. Opponents on the other hand, say the validity of the findings cannot yet be fully understood since they have yet to be peer evaluated. Currently, nearly 1 in every 10 Americans has been diagnosed with a liver disease.
News.BBC.co.uk
