Adult Stem Cells Shown to Replicate for Therapy, Perhaps Ending Debate over Embryonic Cells

Muskogee Phoenix - www.muskogeephoenix.com - Muskogee, OK: "Researchers discover way to replicate stem cells for therapy
By Laura Ungar
Gannett News Service

University of Louisville researchers have coaxed stem cells from adult mice to change into brain, nerve, heart muscle and pancreatic cells - a discovery that could lead to therapies for a host of human diseases and possibly end the national debate over use of embryonic stem cells.

“We have found a counterpart for embryonic stem cells in adult bone marrow. This could negate the ethical concerns,” said Mariusz Ratajczak, leader of the research team and director of the stem cell biology program at Louisville’s James Graham Brown Cancer Center.

The next step is to replicate the experiment with similar cells identified in adult humans.

“It’s huge. It’s an amazing discovery,” said Ryan Reca, one of the researchers....(more on website)