Thursday, November 08, 2007

Stem Cells May Reverse Alzheimers' symptoms

From the UK's Daily Mail in London, November 7 : Scientists at the University of California in Irvine have for the first time used stem cells to reverse memory problems associated with strokes, Alzheimer's, and degenerative brain disease in mice. The researchers say that the cells repaired damaged parts of the brain and restored lost memory. They believe that their technique may also work on humans. Full article here.

Good news, but I am curious as to why the scientists used newborns' neuronal stem cells as opposed to embryonic or adult stem cells?


2 comments:

LifeEthics.org said...

The "adult stem cells" used were already conditioned to become the type of neurons necessary. The niche depends on other functional cells.

Linda MacDonald Glenn said...

My question, more specifically, is if they used 'newborns' neuronal stem cells', how were they retrieved? Were the newborns killed?