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news.Scientists at Harvard University have identified key compounds that stimulate stem cell growth in the brain which may one day lead to restored function for people affected by Parkinson's disease, strokes, multiple sclerosis, and a wide range of neurological disorders.
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These findings, which appear in the September 2006 issue of The FASEB (Federation of American Societies) for Experimental Biology Journal, provide important clues as to which compounds may be responsible for causing key brain cells and neurons to regenerate and ultimately restore brain function.
The research study focused on two compounds known as LTB4 and LXA4. According to the researchers, both compounds play a role in inflammation and are regulators of proliferation of several cell types. When stem cells isolated from the brains of mouse embryos were exposed to LTB4 they proliferated and differentiated, giving rise to additional stem cells and to differentiated neurons with limited or absent capacity to divide. When exposed to LXA4, these cells experienced decreased growth and apoptosis.
“This study opens doors to new therapeutic approaches for a wide range neurological disorders and injuries that were once considered incurable,” said Dr Gerald Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal.