Treatment of Brain Function Using Neural Stem Cells
Therapy.
Osvaldo Vega1
Universidad de Puerto Rico Cayey1
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Abstract
In the present, there are diverse types of treatments for brain function. The
treatment with neural stem cells has been the most common because the
effective it has on repairmen of brain damage. These cells have been used a
lot in research to improve medicine. In order to treat some neurological
disorders, scientists had injected neural stem cells in the brain of mice to
improve its function and return the mice to mental stability. In a recent
experiment, using Maudsley hippocampal stem cell line 36 (MHP 36), were able
to reestablish the plasticity of the hippocampal, something that make the brain
completely functionally (Shalmali et al., 2011). Along with MHP36, scientists
were able to prevent indiscriminate cell loss with middle cerebral artery
occlusion (MCAO) (Shalmali et al., 2011). Neural stem cells are very unique,
not just because they can develop into different type of cells, but they have the
ability to move to the affected area. The big problem for this treatment is not
making it function, but to deal with the ethics of society. For this reason
scientist are working to make the stem cells right in the laboratory without the
need of taking it from another living organism. But for now the treatment with
neural stem cells is the best option in medicine.
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Introduction
Stem cells are the most used
cell line clone 36 (MHP36) to restore
plasticity in the brain, reactivating
cell in biomedical research because
some neural stem cells and
of the properties they have, like
generate new ones.
their outstanding potential to
also use embryonic neural stem cells
develop into different type of cells
for a treatment that is very
and work as an internal repair
effective, but the fact that it uses
system. In recent studies stem cells
fetuses makes it a little hard to work
have been used to treat animals,
with because of ethical
especially mice, with brain function
considerations and related laws.
problems. It was generated a new
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immortal fetal neural stem cell line,
Potential Uses of Stem Cells
and produce neural stem like cells
Scientifics can
The Strathclyde Institute of
via juxtacrine and paracrine
Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
interactions (Arshak, 2005).
have done research experiments on
Some of the things that can
strokes because is the third most
affect the function of the brain are
costly neurological disorder
strokes, Alzheimer’s disease,
(Shalmali et al., 20011). It is also
neurodegenerative disorders, and
the principal cause of death and
tumors (Shalmali et al., 2011).
neurological disorders in the
These conditions can be treated
world. For the treatment of these
using Maudsley hippocampal stem
neurological disorders, scientists use
stem cells because the plasticity
cell loss with the middle cerebral
they exhibit. This plasticity is very
artery occlusion (MCAO) (Shalmali
important because it can restore
et al., 2011).
functions of the brain. Using fetal
This new therapy, which consists
tissue to transplant them into an
in cell transplantation, for stroke has
animal with neurodegenerative
tremendous potential because
disorders has been proven to be a
ciNSCs and MHP36 restore lost
successful treatment, but when
sensorimotor function after transient
scientists try to use the same
MCAO in mice (Shalmali et al.,
method on humans, the ethical
2011). The therapy doesn’t reduce
consideration result problematic (E.
the size of the lesion in the brain,
Cacci el at., 2006). To solve this
but increase the neural
problem the scientists have been
differentiation and synaptic
creating stem cells lines with the
plasticity.
potential to improve recovery on
animals.
The MHP36 cells proliferate at
low temperatures in vitro since the
oncoprotein is active and gives rise
to various neural and glial
precursors phenotype (Shalmali et
al., 2011). The MHP36 implants are
well suited to repair indiscriminate
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Conclusion
Stem cells are the most
important cells in the science
world. With the treatments
mentioned above, it will be possible
to restore functions of the
brain. Things that we thought
and Huntington disease. With this
would be impossible some time
ability in the therapy doctors can
before are now possible thanks to
inject the neural stem cells in one
the technology and new
area of the brain that is affected and
knowledge. Like the knowledge
the cells by themselves will move to
scientists have now with stem cells
the others affected areas. Also with
have open new expectative to
the help of implanted F3 neural
increase the possibility to work with
stem cells can be more effective the
them on the treatment of stroke,
treatment.
neurodegenerative disorders and
other diseases. Also
Increasing the potential of
the discovery
neural stem cells can be possible to
and generation of MHP36 and MCAO
prevent tumors, meaning a possible
make it easier to work with the
cure for cancer disease. However, it
cells.
is important to make clear that
One factor that can be
studies will have some ethical
favorable to the therapy is that the
problems that have to be solved to
stem cells by themselves move to
have the limitations with the
the affected area to help the brain
investigation clear and not a
recover from lysosomal storage
problem.
diseases, stroke, Parkinson disease,
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