Successful treatment for paraplegics?

Successful treatment for paraplegics: In the US, the first trial of stem cell therapy for patients with acute spinal cord injury started.

A new stem cell therapy could in future help paraplegics with a spinal cord injury. Physicians made their first appearance at the Shepherd Center“-Hospital in Atlanta a stem cell based therapy. For this purpose, the partially paralyzed patient in the injured body region nerve cell precursor. These nerve cells had upfront the US biotechnology company „ bred from human embryonic stem cells. The affected patient had been seriously injured on the spinal cord only two weeks ago, so that he could not move in part.

Nerve cell precursors should develop in the spinal cord and stimulate nerve processes to grow
The injected nerve cell precursors are said to become so called in the patient's spinal cord „oligodendrocytes“ develop. These cells are responsible for the formation of myelin sheath around nerve cell processes. The myelin sheath is a type of isolation that is also responsible for directing the electrical impulses from the brain to the body parts as well as the signals from the sensory receptors to the brain. The hope of the researchers and physicians is that the injected cells stimulate the severed nerve processes to grow. As a result, the injured signal lines could be joined together again. The patient could regain his sensations and control of the paralyzed body regions.

However, modern stem cell therapy is not undisputed among scientists. Regardless of ethical considerations, injecting stem cells can lead to unwanted side effects. As such, the stem cells are very wondrous and can form any cell type. And because they do, they are not allowed to get back into the body. Because there can then form so-called teratomas. These are tumors in which all kinds of tissue can be found, from hair to eyes and teeth. Cell therapy is only possible if they are only differentiated stem cells and all other cells were carefully separated. So far, however, this method was almost impossible.

First experiments on animals were successful
The biotechnology company „Geron "said that it has been possible to partially reproduce the motility of mice injured in the spinal cord in animal experiments by means of an experimental setup, although it is uncertain whether these results can actually be transferred to the human organism and what effects could follow The Phase I trial was already filed with the FDA in early 2009. However, the US Department of Health had denied approval as the rodents in the spinal cord had formed cysts after transplantation, and then undertook a new study and submitted it to the regulator According to the new test results, FDA clearance was granted and the new study claimed that the cysts are common in spinal cord injuries anyway, and that they have no harmful effects on humans and the therapy changed accordingly, so that fewer cysts form.

Test phase One of stem cell therapy in humans
This first procedure is therefore initially an experimental arrangement in humans. It is not, as often suspected, the effectiveness of stem cell therapy in the foreground, but whether side effects and complications occur. Although the scientists also want to check whether the condition of the patient improves, but the compatibility and safety is the focus of the medical profession. Another 9 out of 10 patients will now receive the stem cell therapy. It is important that in all patients, the spinal cord injury is no longer than two weeks ago.

If it could be established that the stem cell therapy does not produce serious side effects, a second test phase will investigate whether the efficacy in the dose can be optimized. If the second phase of the test series is successful, the third and final phase follows. In a larger group of patients then the final efficacy should be proven. This means on the condition that all studies were actually successful, a stem cell therapy in acute spinal cord injury could only be offered in about 15 years.

The risk of tumors due to genetic defects is relatively high
The casually mentioned cysts, however, provide scientific criticism. Stem cell therapy is by no means uncontroversial. Other researchers point out the increased cancer risk that can be triggered by injecting stem cells. Because that lurks in the DNA of humans, which are also transmitted to the embryonic stem cells. Because when cloning cells of the body's repair mechanism does not apply. The consequences are genetic defects in the cells, which are transmitted during treatment. John Gearhart, stem cell researcher at the University of Pennsylvania told the Washington Post: "We need to find out how these cells behave in humans." Thus the expert expresses the fears, by the stem cell therapy tumors could form. Because until now, you do not know if the cells do what they should do. If they do not, the danger of mutations is great. (sb, 13.10.2010)

Also read:
Stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury