Stem Cells Hold Hope for Childhood Disease

Ivanhoe Newswire

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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Children with the often deadly motor neuron disease known as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) may one day benefit from stem cell transplantation.

Italian researchers found transplanting spinal cord neural stem cells into mice with a disease mimicking SMA extends the life of the mice and improves their muscular functioning. The treatment appears to work by improving the survival and functioning of the motor neurons in the diseased animals, causing them to behave more like normal motor neurons.

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These findings could lead to new treatments for children with SMA, which is the second most common genetic condition resulting in death in childhood.

The research was carried out by investigators from the University of Milan.

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Investigation, published online September 2, 2008

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