Grafting of human spinal stem cells into ALS rats best with immunosuppressant combination
Monday, December 19, 2011 - 16:20
in Health & Medicine
A team of researchers grafting human spinal stem cells into rats modeled with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," a degenerative, lethal, neuromuscular disease, have tested four different immunosuppressive protocols aimed at determining which regimen improved long-term therapeutic effects. Their study demonstrated that a combined, systematically delivered immunosuppression regimen of two drugs significantly improved the survival of the human spinal stem cells. Their results are published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (20:8), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/.