Source: Agence France Presse (AFP)
Posted: November 06, 2008 05:20 EST
Summary:
Agence France Presse (AFP) reports Japanese researchers created functioning human brain cells from embryonic stem cells:
"Japanese researchers said Thursday they had created functioning human brain tissues from stem cells, a world first that has raised new hopes for the treatment of disease. Stem cells taken from human embryos have been used to form tissues of the cerebral cortex, the supreme control tower of the brain, according to researchers at the government-backed research institute Riken. The tissues self-organised into four distinct zones very similar to the structure seen in human foetuses, and conducted neuro-activity such as transmitting electrical signals, the institute said. Research on stem cells is seen as having the potential to save lives by helping to find cures for diseases such as cancer and diabetes or to replace damaged cells, tissues and organs."
Below is a summary of additional news coverage of this story from various sources:
Reuters, Nov 6, 2008 3:24pm EST: "Scientists coax brain cells in mice to regenerate":
"Scientists have found a way to get damaged nerve cells in the brains of mice to repair themselves, a finding that may lead to new treatments for spinal cord and brain injuries. By turning off proteins that keep nerve cell growth in check, the researchers were able to stimulate regrowth in mice with damaged optic nerves..."
HealthDay News, November 6, 2008: "New Pathways Studied to Repair Nerves":
"Nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain can't be repaired now if they are severed or damaged, but two ways to get them to grow again are being proposed by separate groups of researchers. The basic idea of both approaches is to interfere with the built-in mechanisms that prevent nerve cell regeneration. One approach attacks it from the outside of nerve cells, the other from the inside."
