Fetal Stem Cells, Spinal Injuries
From Wired, news of another step towards regenerative medicine capable of repairing damage to the spine. "Injections of human [fetal] stem cells seem to directly repair some of the damage caused by spinal cord injury, according to research that helped partially paralyzed mice walk again. ... But the new work went an extra step, suggesting the connections that the stem cells form to help bridge the damaged spinal cord are key to recovery. Surprisingly, they didn't just form new nerve cells. They also formed cells that create the biological insulation that nerve fibers need to communicate. A number of neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, involve loss of that insulation, called myelin." Embryonic stem cells have also shown promise for repairing spinal injuries and paralysis.