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LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE AUGUST 18 2000
IN THIS ISSUE - LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE EXCLUSIVE: Bone marrow stem cells
can become neurons; LIFE EXTENSION MAGAZINE: Interview: Reinventing the
Brain; PROTOCOL: Trauma; PRODUCT OF THE WEEK: Vitamin E capsules; WEBSITE
FEATURE: I contact
LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE EXCLUSIVE
Bone marrow stem cells can become brain cells
The August 15 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience Research reported an
exciting breakthrough funded by the Christopher Reeve Paralysis
Foundation. Researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of
New Jersey have developed the first successful procedure to transform
cultured bone marrow stromal stem cells exclusively into nerve cells, or
neurons. It had previously been found that the brain contains stem cells,
which are undifferentiated immature cells, that can be coaxed into
becoming different types of nerve cells. However, obtaining the necessary
stem cells for this process from deep within the brain is risky, and
patients who receive cells cultured from donors must take
immunosuppressive drugs to help avoid rejection. The breakthrough
reported this week will make available an unlimited source of one's own
cells to treat a variety of conditions, such as spinal cord injury,
stroke, brain trauma, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's diseases.
The study involved obtaining bone marrow stem cells from rats and humans
and culturing them according to the researchers' protocol, using time
lapse photography to track the cells' progression into neurons. Specific
gene products were confirmed that identified the transformed cells. The
process was accomplished in a matter of hours, and some of the neurons
even began to form connections with other neurons.
"Now that we have been able to differentiate human bone marrow stromal
stem cells into neurons, it creates the exciting possibility in the future
for the treatment of neurological diseases. Research currently being
conducted on rats with spinal paralysis suggests that stem cell
transplants can encourage return of function," stated lead study author
Dr. Ira Black, chair of the Department of Neurosciences at the University
of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Robert Wood Johnson Medical
School.
The next stage is transplantation of these nerve cells into the brain and
spinal cord of animals.
LIFE EXTENSION MAGAZINE
Interview: Reinventing the brain
Ever thought about growing a new brain? It may not be as far-fetched as
you think. Dr. Fred H. Gage of the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California
has discovered baby brain cells deep inside the adult brain that can grow
up to become new brain. His work is blowing apart the notion that a
damaged brain or spinal cord can't be fixed. Life Extension Magazine's
contributor, Terri Mitchell, interviews Dr. Gage:
TM: . . . isn't "stem cell" a term usually used for cells in bone marrow
that turn into blood cells-are you saying the brain has stem cells too?
FG: They fit the criteria for stem cells, so, yes, the brain has
undifferentiated cells that "grow up" to become neurons and glial cells
and all the different cells in the brain. The discovery of these dividing
cells helped people to overcome the idea that the brain can't make new
neurons. The trick in understanding how the brain could make new neurons
came with the identification in the adult brain areas where these baby
cells persist throughout life. Before, the thinking had been that you
couldn't replace brain cells because of all their elaborate connections
and what they store-they're such differentiated and complex cells.
TM: What do stem cells do?
FG: A stem cell is a cell that self-renews-that means when it divides, it
creates another stem cell and also can become a mature cell. That's one
feature. The second feature of a stem cell is that it can turn into
different types of brain cells. And we've proven that you can take stem
cells out of the brain, put them in culture, transplant them back into an
adult brain, and they'll pick up where they left off. We haven't done this
in humans yet. But given the similarities between the work we've seen in
animals and humans to date, I think we're confident that what we're
dealing with is a cell that will act this way.
http://www.lef.org/cgi-local/welcome.cgi/id=2911/sgroup_id=699/welcome.html
Life Extension Magazine is the monthly publication of the Life Extension
Foundation.
PROTOCOL
Trauma
Trauma may be described as a body wound or shock due to accident or
injury. Permanent injury or death due to trauma is often caused by free
radicals generated when the tissues of the body are physically disrupted.
This is well-documented in spinal cord injury cases where the free-radical
damage that occurs immediately after the injury causes permanent
paralysis.
Antioxidants such as vitamin E, glutathione, and palm oil tocotrienols
should immediately be administered to most victims of trauma to protect
against free-radical injury. Trauma involving massive bleeding may
preclude the use of antioxidants such as gingko that could accelerate
hemorrhaging.
Protecting Against Paralysis
In laboratory studies where two groups of animals were exposed to the same
traumatic force, animals given high doses of vitamin C died less
frequently than animals not given vitamin C. Antioxidants appear to
protect against many forms of permanent damage inflicted by trauma.
The hormone pregnenolone has been shown to protect against paralysis from
spinal cord injury in laboratory animals. The immediate administration of
400 mg of pregnenolone, along with 800 IU of vitamin E, to a spinal injury
patient might be advisable. Vitamin E could speed the bleeding process, so
do not use Vitamin E if excessive bleeding is occurring.
http://www.lef.org/cgi-local/welcome.cgi/id=2912/sgroup_id=699/welcome.html
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
Vitamin E capsules
Vitamin E is an antioxidant which can help keep you looking younger by
retarding cellular aging due to oxidation. It supplies oxygen to the body
to promote endurance, works with vitamin A to protect the lungs from
pollution, prevents and dissolves blood clots, accelerates healing, helps
to prevent scar tissue, and lowers the risk of ischemic heart disease.
Vitamin E capsules are the dry, powder form which does not have the
potential of turning rancid that vitamin E oil capsules have.
http://www.lef.org/cgi-local/welcome.cgi/id=2913/sgroup_id=699/welcome.html
WEBSITE FEATURE
I Contact
Would you like to be able to chat one on one with one of the Life
Extension Foundation's product advisors? Available from 12:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m ET is confidential, one-on-one help. Just click on the animated
banner at the top of our product pages or on LEF's front page.
http://www.lef.org/cgi-local/welcome.cgi/id=2331/sgroup_id=699/welcome.html
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this ezine or
other life extension topics.
For longer life,
Dayna Dye
ddye@lifeextension.com
www.lef.org
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