Cell Therapy for Parkinson #39;s 2
An introduction to the cell therapy research underway with eight Parkinson #39;s Disease patients at the Scripps Clinic and Scripps Research Institute in San Diego.

By: Summit4StemCell

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Cell Therapy for Parkinson's 2 - Video

Phil Reyes, one of the Parkinson's patients in Summit 4 Stem Cell, urges California's stem cell agency to support its research.

A potentially groundbreaking trial to treat spinal cord injuries with tissue grown from human embryonic stem cells will resume, after being funded by the California's stem cell agency.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine's governing committee approved without opposition a $14.3 million award to Asterias Biotherapeutics of Menlo Park. Asterias is taking over from Geron, which stopped clinical trials in November, 2011. Geron, also of Menlo Park, said it discontinued the trials for business reasons. Asterias is a subsidiary of Alameda-based BioTime.

Patients will be given transplants of neural tissue grown from the embryonic stem cells. The hope is that the cells will repair the severed connections, restoring movement and sensation below the injury site.

CIRM also unanimously approved a $5.6 million grant for another potential breakthrough: a clinical trial by Sangamo Biosciences of Richmond, Calif, to cure HIV infection with gene therapy. The trial is now in Phase II. Immune cells are taken from the patient and given a mutant form of a gene that HIV uses to get inside the cells. The mutated gene resists infection. The genetically altered cells are then given back to the patient.

Approval of both grants had been expected, as staff reports had recommended their approval. The agency met in San Diego.

In addition CIRM's Independent Citizens Oversight Committee funded $16.2 million in grants to bring three stem cell researchers to California. That vote was more contentious, with some committee members arguing that it made no sense to bring more scientists to California without a specific need. In addition, they argued that CIRM's main emphasis needs to be on funding clinical trials.

Member Jeff Sheehy said that bringing the scientists to California doesn't create more scientific capacity. However, a vote to deny funding failed, and a subsequent vote to approve funding passed.

CIRM is projected to run out of its $3 billion in bond funding by 2017, and supporters of the public agency are considering asking California voters for more money.

Also appearing at the CIRM meeting were advocates of funding a stem cell-based therapy for Parkinson's disease. The therapy, which may be approved in 2015 for a clinical trial, uses artificial embryonic stem cells called induced pluripotent stem cells grown from the patient's own skin cells. The group, Summit 4 Stem Cell, plans to ask for funding to help with the trial in the near future.

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Spinal cord, HIV stem cell treatments funded | UTSanDiego.com

A deep dive analysis of erythropoietin market
Erythropoietin is a glycoprotein hormone produced in the kidney that stimulates the production of red blood cells by bone marrow stem cells. http://www.bigma...

By: Big Market Research

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A deep dive analysis of erythropoietin market - Video

NBC News -- Researchers have grown part of an eye in a lab dish, using a type of stem cell made from a piece of skin.

They said the little retina started growing and developing on its own an important step towards creating custom-tailored organs in the lab.

We have basically created a miniature human retina in a dish that not only has the architectural organization of the retina but also has the ability to sense light," said M. Valeria Canto-Soler, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The team used cells called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, which are immature stem cells whose powers resemble those of embryonic stem cells they can morph into any cell type in the body.

Theyre made by tricking an ordinary cell, like a skin cell, into reverting back into embryonic mode. Then the researchers activate genes to get the cell to redirect itself into forming the desired cells in this case cells of the retina.

To the surprise of the researchers, the cells started developing as if they were in a growing human embryo.

"We knew that a 3-D cellular structure was necessary if we wanted to reproduce functional characteristics of the retina, but when we began this work, we didn't think stem cells would be able to build up a retina almost on their own. In our system, somehow the cells knew what to do, Canto-Soler said in a statement.

The experiment may ultimately lead to technologies that restore vision in people with retinal diseases, she added.

Tests showed the cells responded to light, the team reported in the journal Nature Communications. "Is our lab retina capable of producing a visual signal that the brain can interpret into an image? Probably not, but this is a good start," Canto-Soler said.

Other teams have used iPS cells to make a piece of human liver and are using them to study a range of human diseases.

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Eye in a Dish: Researchers Make Retina From Stem Cells

How do Stem Cell Therapy Work? Danny Yang

By: Marieke van Lankvelt

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How do Stem Cell Therapy Work? Danny Yang - Video

Beverly HIlls, California (PRWEB) June 09, 2014

The top stem cell doctor in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles at Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute are now offering stem cell procedures for hip arthritis. The stem cell therapy typically provides pain relief along with being able to delay or avoid the need for joint replacement. Call (310) 438-5343 for more information and scheduling.

Dr. Raj, Medical Director at Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute, is a Double Board Certified orthopedic doctor who has been a pioneer in stem cell therapy for musculoskeletal conditions. Several types of stem cell procedures are offered including bone marrow derived along with amniotic derived procedures.

For the bone marrow stem cell procedures, a short outpatient procedure involves harvesting bone marrow from the patient's iliac crest. The stem cells are immediately processed to concentrate the growth factors and cells, and then they are injected into the hip for pain relief and tissue regeneration.

For the amniotic derived procedures, the fluid is obtained from consenting donors after a scheduled c-section procedure. There is no fetal tissue utilized, and the fluid is processed at an FDA regulated laboratory. An immense amount of stem cells, growth factors and hyaluronic acid are present in the amniotic material.

Dr. Raj has performed a significant amount of stem cell procedures utilizing both methods for hip arthritis, with the results being stellar to date. Being Double Board Certified and a sports medicine expert, Dr. Raj also offers stem cell procedures for sports injuries such as tendonitis and ligament injuries. This includes rotator cuff tendonitis, knee injuries, elbow tendonitis and more.

Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute is the premier stem cell clinic in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. Dr. Raj is an ABC News Medical Correspondent and a WebMD Medical Expert. For information on how stem cell therapy can help, call Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute at (310) 438-5343.

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Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute Now Offering Revolutionary Stem Cell Procedures for Hip Arthritis to Avoid Joint ...

An Okotoks boy may not understand his community is helping to give him a better life this weekend, but there is a good chance he will be smiling anyway.

At four years old, Ryker Menzies communicates through a series of sounds, suffers from frequent muscle spasms, is in a wheelchair because hes unable to walk or sit on his own and is constantly on painkillers.

This has been Rykers reality since infancy due to a severe case of cerebral palsy, and his parents Tiffany Boyd and Jamie Menzies are hopeful stem cell therapy treatment in Panama City will improve his muscle movement, vision and speech.

Unfortunately, they havent been able to afford the procedure living on one income while Boyd cares for Ryker.

To help pay for the $15,600 treatment, the couple is organizing a mini-market at the Foothills Centennial Centre on June 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and inviting the community to check out an abundance of second-hand items and products from home-based and privately-owned businesses for an entry fee of $2.

Money will also be raised through a food vendor, numerous raffle tickets for prizes including vacations and toys, and items donated by residents. Okotoks singer Emily Gryba will perform at the event.

Ive been getting a lot of calls from people donating stuff to the market to sell there, as well as a few online donations, said Boyd. We will just set up about five tables and have family run them. The proceeds will go to Ryker.

Boyd said she is ecstatic at the amount of community support for Rykers stem cell treatment. An online fund she established called Raise for Rykstar collected $1,300, with another $2,000 donated by family, friends and community members.

The feedback has been fantastic, she said. Were already at $3,500.

As the family gets closer to reaching their financial goal, Boyd is eager to book an appointment to give Ryker the best life possible. She said she was told they will have an appointment within a month or two of making the call.

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Boy getting a chance for a better life

More people in the capital have signed up to donate their stem cells than residents in any other part of Britain - d espite Londoners having an unfriendly reputation .

Blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan has mapped its bone marrow register for the first time, showing the proportion of people in each region who are signed up to the bone marrow register.

The charity said that more than 80,000 people in the capital are now signed up to the register - 0.97% of London's population.

A spokeswoman said that other "selfless hotspots" are the East Midlands, where 0.91% of the population has signed up, Scotland where 0.89% of people are on the register and in the south east where 0.87% of people have pledged to donate their stem cells.

Places with the lowest rates of sign-ups are the West Midlands and the south west, where just 0.66% and 0.65% of people, respectively, have signed up to the register.

The register was set up 40 years ago to help find lifesaving matches for people with blood cancer who desperately need a stem cell, or bone marrow, transplant.

Ann O'Leary, head of register development at Anthony Nolan, said: "Donating stem cells to save the life of a stranger is a remarkably selfless act so it's great to see so many Londoners challenging the city's stereotype and signing up to our register.

"Two thirds of patients will not find a matching donor from within their families; instead they turn to Anthony Nolan to find them an unrelated donor.

"Even though London has the highest proportion of donors of any region, it's still less than one per cent of the overall population of London, which shows us that we urgently need to recruit donors from all over the UK so we can give people with blood cancer the best possible hope of a cure."

Ms O'Leary added: "Mapping the register in this way will help us to target our efforts in order to grow the register and save more lives.

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UK & World

Ryan White, CTV Calgary Published Saturday, June 7, 2014 4:38PM MDT Last Updated Saturday, June 7, 2014 6:30PM MDT

Dozens of men stepped forward to offer their cheek cells for testing in the hope of assisting patients in need of stem cell or bone marrow transplants.

On Saturday, the Village Brewery offered beer tastings and tours to those who took part in the swab-a-thon.

The event was created by Steve Carpenter, the operator of a local micro-brewery, whose brother Al was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia in November. Al, married and the father of two, was in desperate need of stem cell treatment and Canadian Blood Services was unable to locate a suitable match through its stem cell and bone marrow donor program.

Steve and his friends organized a swab-a-thon in the hopes of locating a suitable donor, and Jim Button, a childhood friend of Als and the owner of Village Brewery, offered the use of his brewery.

Miraculously, in the days before the swab-a-thon was to be held, a suitable stem cell match was located for Al and he underwent treatment in an Ottawa hospital. Doctors say Al is responding well to the treatment.

Despite the fact a donor had been located for his brother, Steve made the decision to continue with his plans for Saturdays event.

We are here to tell people it is a very easy program, said Steve. We really appreciate anybody coming out to sign up on registry, be it for my brother or any other people in need.

Mike Carron was the first volunteer to step up to register and offer up a saliva sample. He says he wanted to help the cause after stem cell treatment extended the life of a close family member.

I thought it would be good to pay it forward, explains Carron. I had an uncle who needed stem cell treatment three years ago and it gave him an extra three years.

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It takes a Village; local brewery hosts swab-a-thon

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Doug Schmid in the lab at Utah Cord Bank, Thursday, May 1, 2014. Utah Cord Bank is pushing to expand operations, giving parents more options for banking their babies' cord blood

In 2007, the University of Utah began collecting umbilical cord blood donations for the National Cord Blood Stem Cell bank.

Two years later, it expanded, adding Utahs major labor wards to its public banking effort giving more women in this most fertile of states the opportunity to save a life or contribute to research.

Treating disease with stem cells

Cell therapy

Cell therapies involve transplanting human cells to replace or repair damaged or diseased blood, tissue or organs. Bone marrow transplants of hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells are the most common.

How does it work?

Hematopoietic stem cells can form mature blood cells, such as red blood cells (which carry oxygen), platelets (to stop bleeding) and white blood cells (to fight infection). In addition to treating cancer and other blood diseases, they are being tested for use with autoimmune, genetic and a host of other disorders.

Why cord blood?

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Cord blood donations a rarity in fertile, charitable Utah

Jun 06, 2014 This is a representation of hydrogel polymers (straight lines) trapping stem cells (light-colored figures) and water (blue). Credit: Michael Osadciw/ University of Rochester.

When stem cells are used to regenerate bone tissue, many wind up migrating away from the repair site, which disrupts the healing process. But a technique employed by a University of Rochester research team keeps the stem cells in place, resulting in faster and better tissue regeneration. The key, as explained in a paper published in Acta Biomaterialia, is encasing the stem cells in polymers that attract water and disappear when their work is done.

The technique is similar to what has already been used to repair other types of tissue, including cartilage, but had never been tried on bone.

"Our success opens the door for manyand more complicatedtypes of bone repair," said Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Danielle Benoit. "For example, we should now be able to pinpoint repairs within the periosteumor outer membrane of bone material."

The polymers used by Benoit and her teams are called hydrogels because they hold water, which is necessary to keep the stem cells alive. The hydrogels, which mimic the natural tissues of the body, are specially designed to have an additional feature that's vital to the repair process; they degrade and disappear before the body interprets them as foreign bodies and begins a defense response that could compromise the healing process.

Because stem cells have the unique ability to develop into many different types of cells, they are an important part of the mechanism for repairing body tissue. At present, unadulterated therapeutic stem cells are injected into the bone tissue that needs to be repaired. Benoit believed hydrogels would allow the stem cells to finish the job of initiating repairs, then leave before overstaying their welcome.

The research team tested the hypothesis by transplanting cells onto the surface of mouse bone grafts and studying the cell behavior both in vivoinside the animaland in vitrooutside the body. They started by removing all living cells from donor bone fragments, so that the tissue regeneration could be accomplished only by the stem cells.

In order to track the progress of the research, the stem cells were genetically modified to include genes that give off fluorescence signals. The bone material was then coated with the hydrogels, which contained the fluorescently labeled stem cells, and implanted into the defect of the damaged mouse bone. At that point, the researchers began monitoring the repair process with longitudinal fluorescence to determine if there would be an appreciable loss of stem cells in the in vivo samples, as compared to the static, in vitro, environments. They found that there was no measurable difference between the concentrations of stem cells in the various samples, despite the fact that the in vivo sample was part of a dynamic environmentwhich included enzymes and blood flowmaking it easier for the stem cells to migrate away from the target site. That means virtually all the stem cells stayed in place to complete their work in generating new bone tissue.

"Some types of tissue repair take more time to heal than do others," said Benoit. "What we needed was a way to control how long the hydrogels remained at the site."

Benoit and her team were able to manipulate the time it took for hydrogels to dissolve by modifying groups of atomscalled degradable groupswithin the polymer molecules. By introducing different degradable groups to the polymer chains, the researchers were able to alter how long it took for the hydrogels to degrade.

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Better tissue healing with disappearing hydrogels

Farmington, CT (PRWEB) June 05, 2014

ImStem Biotechnology, Inc. (ImStem) announced today it has successfully treated an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS) using human embryonic stem cells (hESC) derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), called hES-MSCs.

MS is a chronic neuroinflammatory disease with no cure. Most current MS therapies offer only palliative relief without repairing damaged nerve cells. Adult tissues such as bone marrow derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) may reduce neuroinflammation and promote nerve cell regeneration in MS, which are currently being tested in MS clinical trials. However, the application of adult-tissue derived MSCs has significant limitations since these cells must be obtained from a limited number of healthy donors, constraining the availability of this treatment and also resulting in variations in treatment quality.

Now researchers from ImStem, in collaboration with University of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC) and Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., demonstrates that hES-MSCs, which have unlimited stable supply, significantly reduce the disease severity in a mouse model of MS. They also found that hES-MSCs are more effective in treating animal model of MS than MSCs from bone marrow of adult human donors (BM-MSC). This work is published in the June 5th 2014 online edition of Stem Cell Reports, the official journal of International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) by Cell Press.

The beauty of hES-MSCs (embryonic stem cell derived) is their consistently high efficacy in MS model. We found that BM-MSC (adult stem cell) lines show poor or no efficacy in MS animal model and also expressing more proinflammatory cytokines. This definitely adds more advantages to hES-MSCs, which are younger, purer and express the right factors" says the lead author Dr. Xiaofang Wang, CTO of ImStem.

"These great advantages perfectly match the requirements for safety and quality of clinical-grade MSCs as a potential therapy for autoimmune diseases. says Dr. Ren-He Xu, corresponding author of the article, CSO of ImStem, now a professor at the University of Macau.

Dr. Joel Pachter, a UCHC collaborator, observed fluorescently labeled hES-MSCs but not BM-MSCs effectively penetrated the blood brain barrier and migrated into inflamed spinal cord. He remarks, "This difference is extraordinary as it could hold a key to the therapeutic action(s) of hES-MSCs. MSCs might require access to specific sites within the central nervous system in order to remediate disease."

"This was unexpected as bone marrow MSCs are widely believed to be effective in this EAE animal model. Our data indicate that the use of BM-MSCs is highly variable and there may be a previously unrecognized risk of poor outcome associated with proinflammatory cytokines produced by these cells," says Dr. Stephen Crocker, another UCHC collaborator.

The cells not only reduced the clinical symptoms of multiple sclerosis but prevented demyelination, which disrupts the ability of the nervous system to communicate, resulting in a wide range of symptoms in patients, including blurred vision, loss of balance, slurred speech, tremors, numbness, extreme fatigue, paralysis and blindness, says Dr. Robert Lanza, one of the senior authors from ACT.

Imstem was founded by Dr. Xiaofang Wang and Dr. Ren-He Xu, former director of UConn Stem Cell Core in 2012. In 2013, ImStem was awarded a $1.13M grant from the State of Connecticut Stem Cell Research Program and a $150,000 pre-seed fund from Connecticut Innovations. With these supports, ImStem has improved the hES-MSC technology with better efficiency and safety and has developed clinical grade hES-MSCs in its cGMP facility. ImStem is now seeking approval for Phase I clinical trials using its hES-MSCs and is looking for investors to expedite the progress.

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ImStem Biotechnology, Inc. Advances Multiple Sclerosis Treatment with Embryonic Stem Cells

Human embryonic stem cells the bodys powerful master cells might be useful for treating multiple sclerosis, researchers reported Thursday.

A team has used cells taken from frozen human embryos and transformed them into a type of cell that scientists have hoped might help treat patients with MS, a debilitating nerve disease.

Mice with an induced version of MS that paralyzed them were able to walk freely after the treatment, the teams at Advanced Cell Technology and ImStem Biotechnology in Farmington, Connecticut, reported.

The cells appeared to travel to the damaged tissues in the mice, toning down the mistaken immune system response that strips the fatty protective layer off of nerve calls. Its that damage that causes symptoms ranging from tremors and loss of balance to blurry vision and paralysis.

These embryonic stem cells were carefully nurtured to make them form a type of immature cell called a mesenchymal stem cell. These cells worked better to treat the mice than naturally developed mesenchymal stem cells taken directly from bone marrow, the team wrote in the journal Stem Cell Reports, published by the International Society for Stem Cell Research.

The top mouse is paralyzed, while the mouse on the bottom was treated with human embryonic stem cells and is able to run around.

The company released a video to show the benefits. Untreated mice were suffering. They are paralyzed. They on their backs. They are dragging their limbs. They are in really sad shape, ACTs chief scientific officer, Dr. Bob Lanza, told NBC News.

Treated animals, they are walking and jumping around just like normal mice.

Lanza says human trials are many months away, but he thinks it will not be necessary to use controversial cloning technology to make perfectly matched human embryonic stem cells to treat patients.

We can use an off-the-shelf source and itll work for everyone, he said. So you can use them and not worry about rejection.

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Stem cells work on MS in mice

Human embryonic stem cells the bodys powerful master cells might be useful for treating multiple sclerosis, researchers reported Thursday.

A team has used cells taken from frozen human embryos and transformed them into a type of cell that scientists have hoped might help treat patients with MS, a debilitating nerve disease.

Mice with an induced version of MS that paralyzed them were able to walk freely after the treatment, the teams at Advanced Cell Technology and ImStem Biotechnology in Farmington, Connecticut, reported.

The cells appeared to travel to the damaged tissues in the mice, toning down the mistaken immune system response that strips the fatty protective layer off of nerve calls. Its that damage that causes symptoms ranging from tremors and loss of balance to blurry vision and paralysis.

These embryonic stem cells were carefully nurtured to make them form a type of immature cell called a mesenchymal stem cell. These cells worked better to treat the mice than naturally developed mesenchymal stem cells taken directly from bone marrow, the team wrote in the journal Stem Cell Reports, published by the International Society for Stem Cell Research.

The top mouse is paralyzed, while the mouse on the bottom was treated with human embryonic stem cells and is able to run around.

The company released a video to show the benefits. Untreated mice were suffering. They are paralyzed. They on their backs. They are dragging their limbs. They are in really sad shape, ACTs chief scientific officer, Dr. Bob Lanza, told NBC News.

Treated animals, they are walking and jumping around just like normal mice.

Lanza says human trials are many months away, but he thinks it will not be necessary to use controversial cloning technology to make perfectly matched human embryonic stem cells to treat patients.

We can use an off-the-shelf source and itll work for everyone, he said. So you can use them and not worry about rejection.

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Stem Cells Treat Multiple Sclerosis in Mice

A pre-clinical biotech startup that was awarded more than $1 million in state money last year said it has demonstrated that a certain type of abundant stem cells significantly reduce the severity of multiple sclerosis in mice.

Farmington's ImStem Biotechnology Inc., which is a member of UConn's technology incubator, said it worked with UConn Health Center scientists and Massachusetts company Advanced Cell Technology Inc. to determine that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from human embryonic stem cells are more effective at treating MS in mice than MSCs from the bone marrow of adult donors.

In fact, the researchers said they found unexpectedly that the use of adult bone marrow stem cells to treat MS is highly variable and may carry a previously unrecognized risk of poor outcome.

The work is published in the June 5 online edition of Stem Cell Reports.

ImStem is seeking approvals and investment for Phase 1 clinical trials.

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Farmington startup treats MS in mice with stem cells

Stem Cell therapy - pioneering treatment for muscular dystrophy
Neuromuscular specialist Professor Jenny Morgan presents on the new advances in stem cell research for muscular dystrophy, at Muscular Dystrophy Campaign eve...

By: Muscular Dystrophy Campaign

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Stem Cell therapy - pioneering treatment for muscular dystrophy - Video

torn rotator cuff/shoulder arthritis one year after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson
Richard discusses his outcome from bone marrow/adipose derived stem cells by Dr Harry Adelson for his torn rotator cuff and arthritic shoulder http://www.docereclinics.com.

By: Harry Adelson, N.D.

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torn rotator cuff/shoulder arthritis one year after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson - Video

The great promise of stem cells may finally be getting close for multiple sclerosis patients.

Stem cells, which have the power to transform into other types of cells, have been much anticipated for more than a decade as a way to treat or even cure diseases like MS, Parkinson's, blindness and spinal cord injuries. But it's taken time to turn that promise into a workable reality.

Two new studies, both published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, suggest that researchers are getting close.

"We haven't landed on the moon yet, but we've tested the rockets," said Jeanne Loring, author of one of the studies and a professor and director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif.

Her study found that a certain type of stem cell, injected once into the spinal cords of mice with an MS-like condition, could dramatically improve the animals for at least six months.

The mice's immune systems almost immediately rejected and destroyed the cells, known as human embryonic stem cell-derived neural precursor cells. But the cells seemed to trigger a long-lasting benefit, dampening inflammation to slow the disease's progression, and repairing the damaged sheathing around nerve cells that is the hallmark of MS, according to Thomas Lane, a neural immunologist at the University of Utah who helped lead the research.

The other study, led by researchers from the University of Connecticut Health Center, ImStem Biotechnology Inc. of Farmington, Conn., and Advanced Cell Technology, a Massachusetts-based biotech, showed that mice with an MS-like disease could be restored to near normal by injecting them with a different type of stem cell. When injected, these cells ?? mesenchymal stem cells derived from human embryonic stem cells ?? were able to home in on damaged cells in the nervous system, even crossing the blood-brain barrier, said one of the authors, Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer of Advanced Cell.

They not only reduced the symptoms of the disease, but prevented more damage to nerve cells, he said.

The two studies together "speak to the changing role of stem cells and their potential as treatment strategies for MS," said Tim Coetzee with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, an advocacy group. The idea of using stem cells in MS has been around for a while, but these two studies overcome some of the challenges of finding a therapy that can be consistent and effective for many people.

"They set the stage quite impressively for potential work in humans," he said, with clinical trials likely within the next few years.

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New stem cells may help in battling multiple sclerosis

COLLEGE STATION - There are more than 18,000 people waiting for a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, something that could save their lives.

Despite the fact that there are 11-million people on the registry as available donors, only 40% of those in need will find a match.

That's because it's extremely difficult to match someone perfectly, and since it's done by DNA markers, the best chances come from someone in your same race and ethnicity group.

So while the odds are slim to begin with, the chance of finding a match for a minority is even smaller. Fewer minorities are signed up to be potential donors.

Lindsey Crawford, a local recruiter for the "Be the Match" foundation says, " African Americans make up about 10 percent of our registry, Hispanics about 6 percent and multi-racial only about 4 percent."

Most of the time, you won't have to actually donate bone marrow, it'll just be stem cells, which is a painless process similar to giving plasma. 20% of the time, actual bone marrow is needed, and that does require surgery, but you're given an anesthetic to ease the pain.

If you'd like to sign up to be a potential bone marrow or stem cell donor, you can visit http://www.bethematch.org.

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Critical Need for Bone Marrow Donors

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

5-Jun-2014

Contact: Robert Miranda cogcomm@aol.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair

Putnam Valley, NY. (June 5, 2014) Scientists in Taiwan have found that intravenous injections of stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous tooth pulp (SHED) have a protective effect against brain damage from heat stroke in mice. Their finding was safe and effective and so may be a candidate for successfully treating human patients by preventing the neurological damage caused by heat stroke.

The study is published in a future issue of Cell Transplantation and is currently freely available on-line as an unedited early e-pub at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/pre-prints/content-CT1100Tseng.

"Heat stroke deaths are increasing worldwide and heat stroke-induced brain injury is the third largest cause of mortality after cardiovascular disease and traumatic brain injury," said study lead author Dr. Ying-Chu Lin of the Kaohsiung Medical University School of Dentistry, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. "Heat stroke is characterized by hyperthermia, systemic inflammatory response, multiple organ failure and brain dysfunction."

To investigate the beneficial and potentially therapeutic effects afforded by the protective activities of self-renewing stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth, the scientists transplanted SHED into mice that had suffered experimental heat stroke.

According to the research team, these cells have "significantly higher proliferation rates" than stem cells from bone marrow and have the added advantages of being easy to harvest and express several growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and they can promote the migration and differentiation of neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs).

"We observed that the intravenous administration of SHED immediately post-heat stroke exhibited several therapeutic benefits," said Dr. Lin. "These included the inhibition of neurological deficits and a reduction in oxidative damage to the brain. We suspect that the protective effect of SHED may be related to a decreased inflammatory response, decreased oxidative stress and an increase in hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis activity following the heat stroke injury."

There are currently some drawbacks to the experimental therapy, said the researchers. First, there is a limited supply of SHED. Also, SHED transplantation has been associated with cancer and immune rejection.

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Future heat stroke treatment found in dental pulp stem cells