What U-M is working to cure with stem cells

For the first time, the University of Michigan added this year 10 lines to the National Institutes of Health National Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry, a list of 184 lines, mostly from U.S. institutions, but also from a few around the world.

These lines are approved for federal research funds by the NIH. Some carry no known disease, important lines for researchers wanting to learn more about how healthy cells develop or to use them as a comparison against the development of diseased cells.

U-M is focused on diseased lines, which can help researchers watch as genetics take hold in developing tissue.

MICHIGAN: Michigan has huge hopes for tiny stem cells

The lines from U-M:

UM14-1, UM14-2 and UM4-6: They carry no known disease.

UM11-1PGD: Line carries the mutation for one of the most common inherited neurological disorders, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease Type IA. The condition disables the peripheral nerves, and affects about 1 in 2,500 people in the U.S.

UM15-4 PGD: Line carries the genetic mutation for a rare hormone disorder that interferes with development of the reproductive organs. The disorder is called hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency.

UM17-1 PGD: Line carries a genetic mutation for the hereditary, degenerative brain disorder Huntington's disease. Early symptoms might include depression, mood swings, forgetfulness, clumsiness, twitching and a lack of coordination, but the disease eventually robs patients of their ability to walk, speak and even swallow.

FUNDING: Stem cells' promise hits funding wall in Michigan

Original post:
What U-M is working to cure with stem cells