 |
 |
Blood discovery furthers stem cell research WebPosted Thu Dec 28 12:41:24 2000 http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/view?/news/2000/12/28/stem_cell001228 TORONTO - Canadian scientists have made an intriguing discovery about human blood - its stem cells aren't all the same. This realization will likely have an impact on everything from cancer treatments to gene therapies. Stem cells are parent cells. In this case, they exist in bone marrow and give rise to all the cells making up the human blood system. And the researchers found they come in two distinct forms. One type blossoms quickly, but produces new blood for only about a month before disappearing. A second type of stem cell appears to lie dormant for months before coming to life and lasting for a much longer period. Until now, a distinction has never been made between short and long-term stem cells. The cells have been used in therapies, like inserting corrective genes. They've also been used to try to grow new human tissues or organs – both with mixed results. The discovery that two types of cells are at work might help to explain some of the failures and successes researchers have had with various therapies and experiments. Specialised treatments The researchers say having the two types of cells at their disposal will help them to create more successful treatments. For example, for cancer patients taking high doses of chemotherapy, an injection of fast-acting stem cells could help them to quickly regenerate white blood cells to bolster their vulnerable immune systems. Longer-term cells might be used in chemically coaxing stem cells to grow into various organs and tissues for transplant, and as an effective agent for gene therapies. The research will be published in the January issue of Nature Immunology. •LINKS: Websites related to this story •Stem cell primer http://www.nih.gov/news/stemcell/primer.htm •Nature Immunology - January 2001 http://www.nature.com/ni/journal/v2/n1/index.html Please feel free to pass this great resource along to others. John Walker, Publisher, The Net mailto:[log in to unmask] More at: http://www.bestnet.org/~jwalker/thenet.htm