What if you could give people whose memories have been stolen the ability to remember again? I’m talking about curing a population of more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) – not a small task. Unfortunately, this number is predicted to more than triple by 2050, and with it so will healthcare … Continue reading Could We Reverse Alzheimer’s Disease with Stem Cells?
neurons
Skipping a Step: Turning Brain Cells Directly into Neurons
It was once commonly believed that “what you see is what you get” with the human brain. As in, the brains cells that you are born with are the only ones you’ll have for the rest of your life because they can’t regenerate. The discovery of brain stem cells in the late 90s disproved this … Continue reading Skipping a Step: Turning Brain Cells Directly into Neurons
Brain Stem Cells in a Dish to the Rescue
The best way to impress your friends at the next party you attend might be to casually mention that scientists can grow miniature brain models in a dish using human stem cells. Sure, that might scare away some people, but when you explain how these tiny brain models can be used to study many different … Continue reading Brain Stem Cells in a Dish to the Rescue
Building a Bridge to Therapies: Stem Cell-Derived Neurons Restore Feeling to Injured Limbs
It’s been a great week for spinal cord injury-related stem cell research – and it’s only Tuesday. In case you missed it, Asterias Biotherapeutics announced yesterday that they had treated their first clinical trial participant with an embryonic stem cell-based therapy for complete spinal cord injury. “Complete” refers to injuries that cause a total loss … Continue reading Building a Bridge to Therapies: Stem Cell-Derived Neurons Restore Feeling to Injured Limbs
Mutation Morphs Mitochondria in Models of Parkinson’s Disease, CIRM-Funded Study Finds
There is no singular cause of Parkinson’s disease, but many—making this disease so difficult to understand and, as a result, treat. But now, researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging have tracked down precisely how a genetic change, or mutation, can lead to a common form of the disease. The results, published last … Continue reading Mutation Morphs Mitochondria in Models of Parkinson’s Disease, CIRM-Funded Study Finds
Cranking it Up to Eleven: Heightened Growth of Neural Stem Cells Linked to Autism-like Behavior
Autism is not one single disease but a suite of many, which is why researchers have long struggled to understand its underlying causes. Often referred to as the Autism Spectrum Disorders, autism has been linked to multiple genetic and environmental factors—different combinations of which can all result in autism or autistic-like behavior. But as we … Continue reading Cranking it Up to Eleven: Heightened Growth of Neural Stem Cells Linked to Autism-like Behavior
The Stem Cellar 