Category Archives: Stem Cells

EASTERN SHORE, Md. (WJZ) The miracle of stem cells changes the life of a little boy from the Eastern Shore.

Adam May has the amazing story of a mother and the choice she made moments after her son was born.

Xander McKinley was a beautiful babybut challenging. The newborn didnt eat or sleep well, and by two-years-old, he couldnt walk or even crawl.

Something just wasnt right, said Xanders mother, Jennifer McKinley.

Jennifer McKinley got the news every parent fears. Xander had cerebral palsya brain condition that slows motor functions.

Adam: Did you ever fear he would never have a normal life? Jennifer: We thought he wasnt going to be able to walk. It was heart-wrenching, that we knew this was permanent.

Turns out, it wasnt permanent. That young boy frustrated by immobility can now stand on his own, and even take a few stepsafter a groundbreaking experimental stem cell transfusion.

Adam: Arent you walking better now? Xander: Yeah. Adam: How good does that feel? Xander: Great!

The six-year-old can finally climb a fence with his brother.

Adam: Youre so fast now Xander: Yeah!

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Stem Cells Help Md. Boy With Cerebral Palsy Walk

Every week in his clinic at the University of Michigan, neurologist Joseph Corey, M.D., Ph.D., treats patients whose nerves are dying or shrinking due to disease or injury. He sees the pain, the loss of ability and the other effects that nerve-destroying conditions cause - and wishes he could give patients more effective treatments than what's available, or regenerate their nerves.

Then he heads to his research lab at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, where his team is working toward that exact goal.

In new research published in several recent papers, Corey and his colleagues from the U-M Medical School, VAAAHS and the University of California, San Francisco report success in developing polymer nanofiber technologies for understanding how nerves form, why they don't reconnect after injury, and what can be done to prevent or slow damage.

Using polymer nanofibers thinner than human hairs as scaffolds, researchers coaxed a particular type of brain cell to wrap around nanofibers that mimic the shape and size of nerves found in the body.

They've even managed to encourage the process of myelination - the formation of a protective coating that guards larger nerve fibers from damage. They began to see multiple concentric layers of the protective substance called myelin start to form, just as they do in the body. Together with the laboratory team of their collaborator Jonah Chan at UCSF, the authors reported the findings in Nature Methods.

The research involves oligodendrocytes, which are the supporting actors to neurons - the "stars" of the central nervous system. Without oligodendrocytes, central nervous system neurons can't effectively transmit the electrical signals that control everything from muscle movement to brain function.

Oligodendrocytes are the type of cells typically affected by multiple sclerosis, and loss of myelin is a hallmark of that debilitating disease.

The researchers have also determined the optimum diameter for the nanofibers to support this process - giving important new clues to answer the question of why some nerves are myelinated and some aren't.

While they haven't yet created fully functioning "nerves in a dish," the researchers believe their work offers a new way to study nerves and test treatment possibilities. Corey, an assistant professor of neurology and biomedical engineering at the U-M Medical School and researcher in the VA Geriatrics Research, Education and Clinical Center, explains that the thin fibers are crucial for the success of the work.

"If it's about the same length and diameter as a neuron, the nerve cells follow it and their shape and location conform to it," he says. "Essentially, these fibers are the same size as a neuron."

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Stem cells and nanofibers stimulating nerve research

stem cells | Now That You Saved Your Cord Blood, What Are You Going to Do With It?
http://www.cordbloodrecommendation.com The other two sources are bone marrow and peripheral (circulating) blood. ""There is much debate over whether to opt for a public or private cord blood bank. Considering the level of expertise needed for the entire process, you usually have to hire the services of private cord blood storage facilities. You are strongly recommended to do your math thoroughly. ""Cord blood is the material that stays in the umbilical cord and placenta after giving birth. It is important to get this blood fifteen minutes after birth, as it may not be viable later on. You #39;ve probably heard about the mystical power of stem cells. Currently, these cells are best known for being the best treatment of leukemia. She was in the advanced stages of Parkinson and was looking for treatment options. When the unit containing cord blood cells is processed, a cyropreservant is added to it. First year fees in the United States will typically be somewhere between $1700 and $2300. So, day-by-day man is trying to reach the ultimate knowledge. Even if a lot of people think that extracting stem cells from human embryos is unethical, those stem cells can also be extracted from umbilical cord blood which can be seen as less of a problem and is certainly something more ethical as well. 6. Patients who have received a bone marrow transplant are more likely to reject the new addition, which could lead to life threatening situations. Pros And ConsAdvantages - Let us first look at the ...From:HotelesEnBuenosAiresViews:0 0ratingsTime:01:31More inTravel Events

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stem cells | Now That You Saved Your Cord Blood, What Are You Going to Do With It? - Video

cord blood banking cost | Benefits Of Cord Blood Banking
http://www.cordbloodrecommendation.com Is cord blood banking free?Unfortunately, you cannot save your baby #39;s blood free of cost. As a matter of fact, it has stem cells which are very beneficial for some disorder treatments. Another method is to use a bag, where the umbilical cord is elevated and blood is drained out. The procedure involved transplanting blood from 2 cords, so that one of them could save her life. ""Cord Blood Storage is often described as a good investment or a type of insurance for your child in case he or she may need some type of cord blood transplantation in the future. You may be worried that the cost of tissue banking is going to be very expensive, but the truth is that it is a lot cheaper than you probably realize. An inspiring case is that of siblings Ashley and Kelvin J. With the advancement of stem cell research, there is likely to be more uses for cord blood in the future. Another benefit you can take is that it has low risk of contamination for it is collected from pregnant mother who has lower risk of blood-borne diseases and viruses. This is process is now known by the medical community as Placenta-Cord banking. ""Cord Blood also called ""placental blood,"" is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after the cord has been cut following the birth of the baby. How much blood is required for this?The cord blood banking representative and the doctors try to collect as much blood as possible from the umbilical cord. Degenerative ...From:Alexander santafeViews:0 0ratingsTime:01:31More inTravel Events

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cord blood banking cost | Benefits Of Cord Blood Banking - Video