Stem-cell-based, tissue engineered tracheal replacement in a child: a 2-year follow-up study

Stem-cell-based, tissue engineered transplants might offer new therapeutic options for patients, including children, with failing organs. The reported replacement of an adult airway using stem cells on a biological scaffold with good results at 6 months supports this view. This study describes the case of a child who received a stem-cell-based tracheal replacement and report findings after 2 years of follow-up.   A 12-year-old boy was born with long-segment congenital tracheal stenosis and pulmonary sling. His airway had been maintained by metal stents, but, after failure, a cadaveric donor tracheal scaffold was decellularised. After a short course of granulocyte colony stimulating factor, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were retrieved preoperatively and seeded onto the scaffold,...

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Cells from human placenta could be useful in treating heart disease

Washington, July 20 (ANI): Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) derived from human placenta are better for forming blood vessels than the ECFCs derived from umbilical cord blood, according to a new study. The study was carried out by researchers at the Indiana School of Medicine. "Circulating ECFCs isolated from umbilical cord blood and those isolated from human placenta are phenotypically identical and have equivalent proliferative potential," said study lead author Michael P. Murphy, MD of the Indiana University's Department of Surgery. "After transplantation, the circulating placenta-derived ECFCs formed significantly more blood vessels in vivo than the ECFCs derived from umbilical cord blood, indicating not only that there are inherent functional differences between resident and...

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New Stem Cell Treatment that Benefits Diabetics

Diabetics who suffer from diabetic peripheral neuropathy may benefit from a new type of stem cell preparation, says a new study published in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage, causes pain or loss of feeling in the toes, feet, legs, hands, and arms among diabetic patients. About 70 percent of diabetes suffer from neuropathy. Current treatments for severe diabetic peripheral neuropathy include tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, opioids, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and topical agents. “However, none of these therapies directly targets the inflammation, most have negative side effects and less than 30 percent of patients experience adequate pain relief. Clearly, new therapies are needed,” explains Dr. Ruth...

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Local research team announces stem cell science breakthrough

TAIPEI--A research team from Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang Ming University announced yesterday a breakthrough in the cultivation of stem cells that will provide a better source of such cells for disease treatment. The use of mesenchymal stem cells, which can be obtained from bone marrow, is less controversial than the use of embryonic stem cells, said Hung Shih-chieh, the professor leading the team. The team found in animal tests that mesenchymal stem cells helped the healing of wounds and the regeneration of blood vessels. The tests also show that mesenchymal stem cells are helpful in treating poor circulation, which is often found in diabetic patients, as well as in repairing broken bones and damaged joints, Hung said. The findings, along with the results of other...

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