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Just another example of how independent progressive thinking is advancing the frontiers of human knowledge. I wonder if those adverse to the creation of this knowledge will deny them selves the fruits of perfection? It could make the lines for treatment shorter. Ned ----- Original Message ----- From: "nina p. brown" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 1:18 AM Subject: Cure for Parkinson's disease in three years: > Cure for Parkinson's disease in three years: > [Health News]: London, March 14 : > A safe treatment for Parkinson's disease could be available in as little > as three years, thanks > to new research in stem cell therapy. > > Scientists at Scotland's Roslin Institute have managed for the first > time to culture stem cells - > which can differentiate themselves into any kind of human cell - without > using animal-derived > products, the daily Scotsman reported. > > Earlier, research had demonstrated that stem cells from pigs could help > reverse symptoms of > Parkinson's disease when implanted in a sufferer's brain. > > However, this carries the risk of the patient developing a deadly new > cross-species disease which > has potentially devastating consequences - for example, vCJD, which is a > fatal new condition > originating in animals. > > Previously, human stem cells - usually derived from embryos, angering > the pro-life lobby - have > been grown in a culture of animal tissue, also risking cross-species > contamination. > > But Roslin scientists, led by Paul De Sousa, have managed to culture > stem cells from donated > embryos - which, in this case, are the "surplus" from fertility > treatment - in a medium derived from > human tissue, the first time this has been done in the world. > > They are now looking to create a way of mass-producing stem cells, as > millions are required to > repair damage to the brain. > > De Sousa said he believed that, in three to five years, following > further research in animals, it > should be possible to start implanting human stem cells in patients > affected by Parkinson's disease. > > > He said: "We are still away - it's one thing to produce the cells. Now > myself and other groups > need to be efficiently producing the types of cells in the culture dish > that are useful for > treatment. > > "We've got to walk before we can run. We're talking another three to > five years before we could > be at the point where we have enough pre-clinical animal model data to > have some confidence in the > cells we can put into people." > > Producing stem cells without using any animal-derived tissue is a > crucial step because it > prevents the possibility of cross-species disease. > > "If stem cells are ever going to be useful for people, we have got to > find a way to produce them > safely and efficiently," De Sousa said. > > "For the most part, the state of the field as it had stood was that > there was a reliance on > either animal cells or products from animal tissues. > > "We have isolated four (cell lines) to date and one of these four has > been isolated in a > completely different media - a coating of a human protein, normally found > on the outside of cells > that helps cells stick together. > > "There is no direct exposure to animal cells or to animal tissue-derived > products such as serum." > > > Pro-life groups have condemned the use of embryos to provide stem cells > and have claimed adult > stem cells, such as those found in bone marrow, could be used instead. > > De Sousa said research into the use of adult stem cells - which would > mean the patient's own > tissue could be used, avoiding immune system problems - should continue. > > However, given the current level of knowledge, he felt embryonic stem > cells were more effective. > > Last month, another Roslin scientist, Professor Ian Wilmut, who created > Dolly the Sheep, was > granted a licence to clone human embryos to help further stem cell > research. It is thought this > could lead to cures for diabetes, quadriplegia and blindness, as well as > Parkinson's and other > conditions. > > Robert Meadowcroft, head of policy and information at the Parkinson's > Disease Society, said the > work at Roslin would hasten the use of stem cell treatment - either as a > cure or a therapy - in > human patients. > > "This looks like being a very important piece of work that will > potentially shorten the period of > time to clinical trials in patients and we very much welcome this > research," Meadowcroft said. > > Indo-Asian News Service > > > Nina > "Circumstances determine our lives, but we shape > our lives by what we make of our circumstances." > Sir John Wheeler Bennett, a British historian > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn