Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Men in Tights
One of the (many) 'holy grails' of modern medicine has long been to repair nerve damage, especially to restore movement to paralyzed patients. A proof-of-concept study, carried out by researchers at the Hopkins School of Medicine, may have developed a preliminary way to do this. They grew embryonic stem cells taken from paralyzed rats in culture, using growth factors to differentiate them into motor neurons. They then transplanted these new neurons back into the rats, and under certain conditions, saw significant regrowth such that the rats achieved some recovery of functioning. Cool!And, via Dr. Charles, we learn that, by improving circulation, wearing tights may help you run faster and longer. Everyone can make their own favorite superhero joke here, so I won't.
