Promising new evidence suggests stem cell therapy may be useful in treating spinal chord injuries and diseases. A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience has found that human stem cells injected into paralyzed rats helped them regain some control of their legs.
After examining the rodents, researchers made a surprising discovery: very few of the stem cells actually turned into new replacement neurons as expected. Instead, the cells came to the aid of the rats' struggling neurons.
Although the stem cells' exact role in recovery remains unclear, researchers suspect that two proteins secreted by the human cells served to both strengthen imperiled neurons and help reform the neural connections critical to nerve function.
Furthermore, the study found that stem cells were naturally attracted to injured areas in the spinal chord. "The [nerve] cells that aren't dead may in some way send signals," explains Michael Shamblott, Ph.D., assistant professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and contributor to the study. "Stem cells can pick up on these cues."
