Research: Placental stem cells in mice -Again

EpubFisher-Shoval et al. Transplantation of Placenta-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the EAE Mouse Model of MS .J Mol Neurosci. 2012 May 26.

I know you like to hear about stem cells, so I mention this study in case is crops up in your searches. The idea in this study is to use stem cells from the placenta rather than bone marrow. Whilst the authors say their (placental stem cells) use is without ethical issues (except it has massive technical issues because it would go from one person to another and so the issue of graft rejection, which is no small issue), it perhaps indicates the level of concern about ethical issues. This study to me has serious ethical problems. The common endpoint is death of the animal. The results show a small difference between death and animals that are so sick that they should have been culled long before they got to that state. The protocol should have been adapted such that it is not so severe.This low level of activity has been consistently been found with this form of stem cell and is more of the same old, same old. Yuck!



Is this a treatment worth having?

Previous posts on placenta stem cells.

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