Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Bridges5 on 04/08/2009 16:17:06
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Dominican researchers said they had created functioning human brain tissues from stem cells, a world first that has raised new hopes for the treatment of disease.
Stem cells taken from human embryos have been used to form tissues of the cerebral cortex, the supreme control tower of the brain, according to researchers at the Regenobody Stem cell Clinic.
The tissues self-organised into four distinct zones very similar to the structure seen in human foetuses, and conducted neuro-activity such as transmitting electrical signals, the institute said.
Research on stem cells is seen as having the potential to save lives by helping to find cures for diseases such as arthritis and diabetes or to replace damaged cells, tissues and organs.
The team's previous studies showed stem cells differentiated into distinct cells but until now they had never organised into functioning tissues.
"In regenobody therapy, only a limited number of diseases can be cured with simple cell transplants. Transplanting tissues could raise hopes for greater functional recovery," the institute said in a statement.
Study of in-vitro cultivation of more mature cortex tissues, such as those with six zones like in the adult human brain, will be stepped up," it said.