The finding shows that, by targeting stem cells to boost their numbers, we can improve the body’s ability to repair muscle tissue, senior author Dr. Michael Rudnicki was reported saying.

Rudnicki is the scientific director of Canada’s Stem Cell Network and a professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa.

Satellite stem cells are specialized muscle stem cells that live in adult skeletal muscle tissue and have the ability to both replicate and differentiate into various types of muscle cells.

Rudnicki’s team found that the Wnt7a protein, when introduced into mouse muscle tissue, significantly increased the population of these satellite stem cells and  increased the regeneration process, creating bigger and stronger muscles which led to 20 per cent in the muscle tissue.

The study has important bearing on possible development of new treatment for muscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy and other conditions that result in wasting of muscles.

It is a breakthrough. It is the first time in the world that this has been achieved using somatic cells (cells that are not sperm or egg cells) from any animal with hooves or ungulates.

The research could pave way for creating models for human genetic diseases, genetically engineering animals for organ transplants for humans, and for developing pigs that are resistant to diseases such as swine flu.

Full report is available here

Researchers at Imperial College London revealed that stem cell heart surgery can help repair damaged hearts using progenitor cells derived from patients’ own cardiac muscle.

They have discovered a way to extract grow in the laboratory and then graft on a patient’s own muscle-building ells which then can be used to patch up the heart and increase its pumping power. Moreover it can increase the quality of life for people who suffer a heart attack.

“This could transform the care for patients who have had heart attacks or have heart disease,” the Telegraph quoted Nicholas Boon president of the British Cardiovascular Society as saying.

“Because the cell therapy uses a patient’s own cells it negates the risks or complications associated with other treatment options such as rejection linked to transplantation,” he said.

Source: TOI

Stem cell research is poised to become better. A boost to stem cell research is about to arrive when President of USA, Mr Barack Obama would announce the reversal of restriction imposed by Bush government.

The news has been reported by American Constitution Society Blog today.

President is likely to announce this on Monday. Today is Saturday. Two more days to go.

Earlier, Bush government had limited the lines of stem cells that scientists can study. This, while being hailed by religious groups was opposed by scientists.

Obama said the Bush order limiting stem cell research “handcuffed our scientists and hindered our ability to compete with other nations.”

This is a welcome news in science. Stem cell is the most promising research that medicine could ever take.