Adult Stem Cell Discovered in the Brain

New adult stem cell research is showing just how much potential stem cells have to rejuvenate all areas of the body. A recently published adult stem cell research study from the scientists at Lund University in Sweden reports that there is a previously undiscovered type of stem cell present in the adult brain. Lund University scientists believe that further research will show whether these cells can be used to repair damage in the brain, such as that caused by disease or even simple aging.

What the Adult Stem Cell Research Study Found
This study was undertaken primarily by researchers at Lund University, and was supported by efforts of researchers at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden and the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. From previous adult stem cell research, scientists already knew that mesenchymal stem cells, the most flexible type of stem cell, were present in compartments surrounding blood vessels.

This current study announces that mesenchymal stem cells are also present in the adult human brain, and these new cells not only have the abilities of mesenchymal stem cells, but new characteristics as well. These newly discovered stem cells can create:

• Connective tissue
• Bone
• Muscle
• Blood vessels
• Organs of the urinary and reproductive systems
• Components of the nervous system
• Components of the brain

This adult stem cell research study created a new name for these cells: Perivascular mesenchymal stem cells, or perivascular MSC for short. The cells were found in the area of the brain that creates brain cells as well as the part of the brain responsible for sight and hearing. The researchers performed a variety of tests on the new-found cells, and discovered these cells:

• can be frozen, stored, and thawed while maintaining their ability to regenerate;
• are able to regenerate rapidly. At the time the study was published, the cells had reached the 50^th generation, and were still continuing;
• keep their karyotype over time, meaning that they are still working appropriately, still re-creating themselves, and are not changing unpredictably;
• can change into brain cells when signaled, unlike previously known stem cell types, which could lead to further adult stem cell research into new treatments to help the brain recover from damage and aging.

What This Means for Adult Stem Cell Research

Now that it has been published, this adult stem cell research study will be reviewed by other scientists, and further studies will be done to confirm the findings and seek out ways to use this new information. The flexibility of these cells indicates that they can assist in rebuilding the brain after temporary damage, like a concussion, or restoring the brain from harm that is typically permanent, like Alzheimer’s. They might even be able to slow the effects of aging. Through adult stem cell research, scientists might find the correct ways to ‘activate’ these normally quiet new cells, leading to stem cell therapy for treating degenerative diseases and also common maladies that affect the brain.

If you or a loved one has been injured, is coping with a chronic illness, or are interested in rejuvenation therapy using stem cells for anti-aging treatments, contact StemGenex today.