Source: BBC News
Posted: 23 November 2007, 12:16 GMT
Summary:
BBC News reports bone marrow stem cells may eventually be able to be used to treat immune disorders and autoimmune diseases:
"Common immune system disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis, could one day be treatable with bone marrow transplants, research suggests. However, currently, the procedure is reserved for life-threatening disorders because chemotherapy or radiotherapy is needed before a transplant can be done. But a protein may do the same job without dangerous side-effects, a mouse study published in Science suggests. The purpose of a bone marrow transplant is to infuse the body with healthy adult stem cells which are able to form fresh blood and immune cells. However, the technique is not yet ready for testing in humans."
