A Review on Stem Cell Treatment for the Spinal Cord Injury

Huma Rehmat, Saba Irshad

Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

Sender Author: (saba.ibb@pu.edu.pk)

Accept Date: Aug 11, 2012 23:42

Abstract :

Stem cell therapy is a potential treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI), and a variety of different stem cell types have been evaluated in animal models and humans with SCI. No consensus exists regarding the type of stem cell, if any, that will prove to be effective therapeutically. Most data suggest that no single therapy will be sufficient to overcome all the biological complications caused by SCI. Rationales for therapeutic use of stem cells for SCI include replacement of damaged neurons and glial cells, secretion of trophic factors, regulation of gliosis and scar formation, prevention of cyst formation, and enhancement of axon elongation. Translation of laboratory-based stem cell research into treatments is likely to take many years and must be conducted with strict oversight. This includes ethical safeguards to protect the welfare of the patient and respect for the moral status of the embryo used in embryonic stem cell research. The attendant risks of stem cell therapy for SCI including tumor formation, or abnormal circuit formation leading to dysfunction must be weighed against the potential benefits of this approach. This Review will examine the biological effects of SCI, the opportunities for stem cell treatment, and the types of stem cells that might be used therapeutically. The limited information available on the possible benefits of stem cell therapy to humans will also be discussed. Key Words. embryonic stem cells, neural stem cells, stem cell therapy, spinal cord, clinical trials