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Nerve Regeneration through stem cells. Louis Carney III BME 281 October 8 th , 2013 . Nerve Damage . About 300,000 Americans a year suffer damage to peripheral and central nerves. Nerves damaged in the PNS are sometimes able to regenerate on their own, however nerves in the CNS can not.
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Nerve Regeneration through stem cells Louis Carney III BME 281 October 8th, 2013
Nerve Damage • About 300,000 Americans a year suffer damage to peripheral and central nerves. • Nerves damaged in the PNS are sometimes able to regenerate on their own, however nerves in the CNS can not. • Years ago it was believed that depending on the severity of the injury to the nerves, there would be no hope in regenerating them. • Recently there has been a lot of funding into possible ways to regenerate these nerves.
Stem Cells • Stem cells have become one possible solution to nerve damage. • These cells are able to differentiate into myelinating cells and support the re-growth of nerve fiber. • Stem cells are believed to have the ability to generate almost any cells found within the brain and spinal cord including neurons and neural-support cells. • There are many different types of stem cells that are believed to have this capability.
Types of Stem Cells • Shwann Cells-peripheral glial cells that form the myelin of the PNS • Embryonic Stem Cells-cells obtained from embryos • Bone Marrow Stromal Cells-multipotential stem cells that can be differentiated based on environmental conditions • Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Cells-cells that promote tissue repair
Procedure • Stem cells are cultivated and placed in culture dishes. • These cells will begin to multiply and spread across the surface of the culture dish. • After a few days the cells begin to overcrowd the dish and are transferred to new dishes. • This process, known as sub culturing, is done many times over a six month period of time. • Following sub culturing, what originally started as 30 cells may expand into millions of cells. • The cells are then frozen and stored for testing. • In theory, these cells may then be injected into patients with nerve damage and used to regenerate the nerve itself.
Results from Animal Testing • Researchers at John Hopkins University tested the effectiveness of stem cells regenerating nerves in rats. • Stem cells that were previously cultivated were taken and injected into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord of paralyzed rats. • 3 months after the procedure took place, almost all of the tested rats were regaining use in their hind limbs and were slowly beginning to walk again. • Scientists also discovered that the injected cells continued to travel throughout the spinal fluid and develop • It should be noted that this was a preliminary experiment and it is not known if these results would hold true in human testing.
Limitations • There are many ethical concerns involving stem cell use and cultivation. • It is estimated that once available to the general public, the cost for stem cell therapy could be between $200k-$400k. • The procedure is not guaranteed to work due to the complexity of the CNS. • It is believed that patients must be treated within two weeks of sustaining damage to the nerves in order for this to work.
Future of Stem Cells • Hopefully with the use of stem cells, patients suffering from nerve damage and paralysis may one day regain some of the functions lost. • There has recently been a large amount of funding and research into stem cell use in order to try and help suffering patients. • Research into adult stem cells is becoming more common in the hopes to avoid ethical concerns involving embryonic stem cells. • Scientists hope that one day stem cells may be used to cure other medical conditions including Parkinson's disease. • It is not known whether or not this procedure for curing nerve damage will ever actually be implemented in humans.
