ITALY: SCIENTISTS SHOW THAT CERTAIN CELLS FROM BRAINS OF ADULT RATS CAN BE USED TO GENERATE MUSCULAR TISSUE HELPING TRANSPLANT THERAPY

Record ID: 858266

  • Title: ITALY: SCIENTISTS SHOW THAT CERTAIN CELLS FROM BRAINS OF ADULT RATS CAN BE USED TO GENERATE MUSCULAR TISSUE HELPING TRANSPLANT THERAPY
  • Date: 20th September 2000
  • Summary: MILAN, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 20, 2000) (REUTERS) EXT SAN RAFFAELE HOSPITAL (2 SHOTS) VARIOUS OF SCIENTISTS WORKING IN LABORATORY (7 SHOTS) MV CO-DIRECTOR OF THE HOSPITALS' STEM CELL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LUIGI VESCOVI, IN THE LABORATORY (3 SHOTS) SCU (SOUNDBITE)(English) CO-DIRECTOR OF THE HOSPITALS' STEM CELL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LUIGI VESCOVI "If what we are demonstrating here, that cells from one part of the body can give rise to cells from a different tissue - is demonstrated for other cell types throughout the whole body of an adult animal, the possibility is that we can use our own cells to heal ourselves." VARIOUS RATS IN THE LABORATORY IN CAGES (4 SHOTS) SCU (SOUNDBITE)(English) VESCOVI SAYING: "I wish to underline that we are talking about perspectives, we are not yet in the phase of clinical or even pre-clinical application for that matter." MV SCIENTIST IN LABORATORY WORKING (4 SHOTS) SCU (SOUNDBITE)(English) VESCOVI SAYING "In the future if this becomes feasible and if the principle we are demonstrating is true for all cells of the body it may be possible, for instance, to generate brain cells, to be used for the therapy of neurological disorders, starting from skin stem cells." MV RESEARCHERS STUDYING DATA ON COMPUTERS (2 SHOTS) VARIOUS OF LABORATORY ACTIVITY (4` SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 5th October 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MILAN ITALY
  • City:
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Health,Quirky,Science,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVACFA7OKEYJ5IWOG18XE56MY8XP
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Scientists in Italy have shown that certain cells from the brains of adult rats can be used to generate muscular tissue in a discovery that could have implications for transplant therapy.
    The discovery of the scientists at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan this week, concerns so-called stem cells, the body's master cells responsible for reproducing other types of cells.
    If the research translates to humans, it could allow doctors to use adult stem cells from a healthy part of the body to replace damaged cells of a diseased part of the same body.
    If what we are demonstrating here...is demonstrated for other cell types throughout the whole body of an adult animal the research director Luigi Vescovi said the possibility is that we can use our own cells to heal ourselves Vescovi emphasised the research was still at a very early stage and it had not yet been proven that what held true for rats would translate to humans in this case.
    "I wish to underline that we are talking about perspectives, we are not yet in the phase of clinical or even pre-clinical application for that matter," he said.
    "In the future, if the principle we are demonstrating is true for all cells of the body, it may be possible to generate brain cells - to be used for the therapy of neurological disorders - starting from skin stem cells," Vescovi said.
    The breakthrough comes at a time of controversy in the scientific world about the use of stem cells from embryos, which have great potential for transplant therapy because at an early stage they can be used to recreate any kind of cell.
    If the Italian research translates to humans, it could allow doctors to use adult stem cells, skirting the ethical dilemma about whether to use such cells from the human embryo.
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