This is where the staff of the Reeve Foundation is sharing up-to-the-minute information and putting some context around the news affecting the spinal cord injury and paralysis community. Not to mention insight into what's going on here at the Foundation.
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Genetic abnormalities found in stem cell lines
Posted by
JLoMonday, January 10, 2011
Yet another cautionary tale about embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, underscores why what we don't know about these remarkable cells can be potentially dangerous.
Coming from the Los Angeles Times:
People have pinned a lot of hopes on pluripotent stem cells -- which, because of their amazing capacity to morph into other types of cells, have been touted as a potential source for replacement tissues that might someday help reverse spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer's disease, and even the damage caused by heart attacks.
But so far only two companies have been granted permission by the Food and Drug Administration to move ahead with trials in humans -- Geron Corp., which is testing a treatment for spinal cord injury; and Advanced Cell Technology, which is testing a treatment for macular degeneration.
A new study, published Thursday in the journal Cell Stem Cell, may illustrate part of the reason why. Scientists still haven't figured out how to make sure most stem cells are safe, and won't develop into cancer once implanted in patients.
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Susan Howley
Executive Vice President, Research
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