Stem cell therapy used to treat muscular dystrophy

A Harvard research team has developed a new procedure that gave them ready access to a supply of adult muscle stem cells in mice, which they used to counter the effects of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in test animals. The researchers were able to identify muscle stem cells by identifying key proteins found on the surface. They were harvested and then injected into the muscles of the diseased rodents. The injected stem cells spread from the injection point and spurred the development of new stem cells that helped improve the performance of the muscle.

"This study indicates the presence of renewing muscle stem cells in adult skeletal muscle, and demonstrates the potential benefit of stem cell therapy for the treatment of muscle degenerative diseases such as muscular dystrophy," said Dr. Amy Wagers, who added that the process could lead to a variety of new therapies to repair damaged muscles.

- read the BBC article

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