Human stem cell transplant restores memory, learning in mice

For the first time, human stem cells can be successfully implanted to cure any neurological deficits. This is done at UW-Madison by a group led by Su-Chun Zhang, professor of neuroscience and neurology.

The human embryonic stem cells were cultured in vitro in proper condition. Their study began by destroying an area of brain called medial septum which connects to the hippocampus by GABA and cholinergic neurons.  Then they implanted those cultured cells in the brain. Three basic considerations should be taken in order to have a successful implantation-location, timing and purity. They chose the location to be hippocampus which is related to the memory and learning. After the cells had been implanted, these cells differentiate into neural cells and grow as a part of hippocampus.  This experiment is done in mice. The reason that they chose mice is that their bodies do not reject the foreign cells. 

I choose this topic because I like the subjects dealing with stem cell. It is very interesting to know that it is now successful to implant the stem cell and regenerate the memory center. 

http://bioengineer.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=354:human-stem-cell-transplant-restores-memory-learning-in-mice&catid=89:news&Itemid=494