Purifying Stem Cells

New studies are being shown that scientists have figured out a way to isolate neural stem cells. These stem cells could help treat nervous system diseases such as Parkinson’s or Huntington’s. The researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center have been able to take neural stem cells from the human brain and isolate them. Stem Cells are important because they can be developed into different brain cells, but unfortunately become rare after birth. Current efforts have mostly been aimed at isolating stem cells from human fetal cells. Unfortunately, progenitor cells are separated out with the stem cells which pose a problem for scientists. They only want undifferentiated stem cells to treat brain diseases. This new technique is able to get pure neural stem cells from the brain tissues.

In the studies using the new technique, different genes for encoding proteins were found in neural rat stem cells were very active. Some genes were found that were unknown to exist in humans, but could be more important in rat cells than human cells. The researchers came to the conclusion that rat neural stem cells should be a guide for human research. The general signaling pathways are similar to humans and mice, but the genes makeup is very different. It shows the researchers that one must truly understand human tissue and diseases.

This new technology requires taking a piece of DNA and coupling it with a gene that makes cells emit light of a particular wavelength. They turn the DNA into a virus in order to deliver it to the brain tissue. This has allowed the scientists to see the stem cells because they emit a certain color.

This article is interesting because it may lead to the cure of deadly brain disorders. My friend’s dad has ALS, and I have seen firsthand what it does to a person. With this new stem cell research, brain disorders may be a thing of the past.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101207131733.htm