More advances in liver stem cells!!

March 27 (Bloomberg) -- Researchers used adult bone marrow
stem cells to regenerate healthy human liver tissue for the first
time, promising to allow patients with fast-growing liver cancers
to undergo potentially life-saving surgery more quickly.
     Scientists at Heinrich-Heine-University in Dusseldorf,
Germany, injected bone marrow stem cells into six patients with
large central liver malignancies, according to a study published
in the April issue of the journal Radiology. The patients were
also treated with portal vein embolization, or PVE, an existing
technique that diverts blood flow from the diseased portion of
the liver to the healthy tissue.
     The patients experienced double the liver growth rate and
gain in liver volume of the control group of seven additional
patients who only underwent PVE treatment, according to the
study. Those receiving the combination treatment were also able
to undergo surgery an average of 18 days sooner.
     ``Our study suggests that liver stem cells harvested from
the patient's own bone marrow can further augment and accelerate
the liver's natural capacity to regenerate itself,'' said Gunther
Furst, a professor of radiology and study co-author, in a
prepared statement.

[jboyhk]

  Some patients with pernicious liver cancers are unable to
undergo surgery at all, the researchers said. Removing the
cancerous tissue would leave too little liver to support body
functions. The researchers, who believe the therapy could also be
used to regenerate livers damaged by other diseases, are starting
a randomized controlled trial of the therapy, the study said.
     Stem cells are of interest to medical researchers as they
can become other specific cell types to help repair body tissues
and can potentially cure diseases.

[cajunlady]

WONDERFUL NEWS,

Thanks for sharing, Stem Cell is extemely important, especially if you can harvest your own.

Cajun