Monday, 16 April 2012

Treating Parkinsons with stem cell therapy

Embryonic cell transplantation

The future is about stem cell therapy and it is showing several positive results to cure diseases like Parkinsons. Research to prolong human lifefinds that using stem cell therapy is an effective treatment option to cure several illnesses that are life threatening. The research was done on monkeys and this was a great success. The studies were conducted on monkeys who had Parkinsons. The embryonic stem cell therapy – ES was used and the monkeys were cured of the same. The monkeys were able to walk well with better precision in their motor skills and limbs. Subsequently, further studies showed that there were no tumors in themonkeys after the implant. This celebrates the success of a team of scientists led by Associate Professor Jun Takahashi.

Finding a way with neuron cells and research

The brain cells stop producing dopamine during the Parkinson disease. This affects the motor skills in a person and there is trembling or shaking of legs and hands. Sometimes it is wavering and in certain cases it can be really violent. Right now medical science does not offer much hope for people with the disease but Parkinsons stem cell therapy is promising some hope. After the successful implant of neuron cells on the monkeys with Parkinsons, it was necessary to give more life to those cells. This is a superb research that will enrich the lives of several people if the safety methods are improved as a cure is possible with Stem Cell therapy for Parkinsons.

Studies on monkeys and neuron cell transplantation

Certain monkeys who were suffering from Parkinsons were experimented upon. The scientists enthusiastically conducted the study on the monkeys. The shivering of hands and legs is remarkable during Parkinsons and it can cause a lot of emotional problems for them. Recently it was seen that even young people can be afflicted by this disease too as earlier only elders reported of having Parkinsons and this has led to more research.  Medical science is helping in reducing the problems, but the research team at Kyoto universityusing the embryonic stem cell transplant decided to conduct the research for 3 months on monkeys to provide a cure for Parkinsons.

Future possibilities

Parkisnons stem cell therapy is a way forward to helping humans fight this disease. Takahashi is looking at a positive sign and believes that in future the transplanted cells will provide a cure without any development of  tumors. They are also looking at transplants produced from human skins. The neuron cells were done with ES or embryonic cells hence there were several restrictions and adhering to protocols. Harvesting the stem cells there is surely hope for diseases like cancer and Takahashi is very upbeat about finding a cure for the same with more research.