陳淑娟/整理 法新社華盛頓28日電：美國上訴法院今天判定，聯邦政府可繼續為幹細胞研究提供經費。在政府和活躍人士為此一經費是否合法而爭執的情況下，這項判決推翻了下層法院的禁令。
- 9月 30 週四 201014:36
美上訴法院准許贊助幹細胞研究經費
陳淑娟/整理 法新社華盛頓28日電：美國上訴法院今天判定，聯邦政府可繼續為幹細胞研究提供經費。在政府和活躍人士為此一經費是否合法而爭執的情況下，這項判決推翻了下層法院的禁令。
- 9月 29 週三 201006:45
臍帶血幹細胞 培養出心瓣膜
新生兒常見的器官問題就是心臟缺損, 光是美國每年就有 35,000位新生兒發現心瓣膜缺陷, 發生機率是每250人就有1人
常見的是心瓣膜過於狹窄, 血液不易順利通過或堵塞, 無法手術治療, 而是用機械, 人心捐贈, 或者豬心瓣膜三種方式取代, 然而這三種方法壽命有限, 新生兒成長過程中須進行多次手術
紐奧良舉辦的美國心臟學會發表, 蒐集新生兒出生臍帶血幹細胞, 種在心瓣膜上, 可以培育出HLA-TYPED符合的心瓣膜
- 9月 28 週二 201021:40
發現關鍵基因 中風病患有福了
- 9月 24 週五 201011:49
日本成功利用“萬能幹細胞”治療小鼠白血病
新華網東京９月２３日電（記者藍建中）日本北海道大學一個研究小組日前宣布，該小組利用被稱為“萬能幹細胞”的誘導多功能幹細胞（iPSC），培育出了具有抗腫瘤作用的免疫細胞，然後將其注射到患白血病的小鼠體內，成功使患白血病小鼠的存活期大幅延長。
- 9月 23 週四 201009:53
視覺幹細胞 治療視力喪失有效
英國有3000多個小孩生下來得到先天性視網膜萎縮症(Leber Congenital Amaurosis:LCA)造成視力喪失.UCL科學家目前在動物實驗成功的發現,患有LCA的老鼠植入帶有Crx基因的幹細胞於視網膜,能再生錐狀細胞(cone cell)和桿狀細胞(rod cell)並形成視覺接受器(photoreceptor)產生視力.這項研究已被發表在人類分子基因學期刊中(Human Molecular Genetics).
Visionary stem cell technique offers new potential to treat blindness
Scientists funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) are pioneering a stem cell treatment to replace diseased parts of the retina, which could lead to a future treatment for retinal diseases that affect around 3,000 children in the UK.
The researchers from UCL Institute of Child Health and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology successfully implanted cells from healthy mice into mice with an inherited form of childhood blindness called Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA).
The implanted cells express a gene called Crx which is needed to make healthy cone and rod photoreceptors. The cells were able to integrate with the retina and become new cone photoreceptors. This is the first time this has been achieved. Further studies are needed to demonstrate whether it is possible to restore sight using this method.
Dr Jane Sowden from the UCL Institute of Child Health, who led the study, said: “We have shown for the first time that it is possible to transplant new cone photoreceptors into the mature retina. The newly-developed cones looked as good as new. This is an important step forward as cone photoreceptors are essential for reading vision and for colour vision and loss of this type of cell has the biggest impact on sight.
“It may be possible to translate this success into treatments for humans. Recent research has shown that embryonic stem cells capable of self-renewal could provide an equivalent source of human cells that express the Crx ‘photoreceptor-creating’ gene and could be grown in the lab before being transplanted in the retina.”
Professor Robin Ali from UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, who co-led the study, said: “We are now working to assess how much vision can be improved by photoreceptor cell transplantation and how effectively they can replace degenerating cells at different stages of disease. There is still a lot more basic research that needs to be carried out, but this is a very promising area that we hope will translate into a future treatment for patients who cannot see because their photoreceptors have degenerated.”
Investigating replacement and regeneration techniques that can help repair human tissue is a fundamental area of research for the MRC. Studies like this one, which was supported with around £2 million of MRC funding, aim to develop therapies to treat damaged tissue and overcome disease.
One in 3,000 people are affected by incurable genetically inherited retinal disease. LCA is the most severe form that causes blindness from birth or during the first few months of life and affects around 200,000 children worldwide. These diseases cause the light sensitive photoreceptor cells in the retina to die, leading to loss of sight.
‘Cone and rod photoreceptor transplantation in models of the childhood retinopathy Leber congenital amaurosis using flow-sorted Crx-positive donor cells’ is published in Human Molecular Genetics today. The research was funded by the MRC, the Macula Vision Research Foundation and Fight for Sight.
Visionary stem cell technique offers new potential to treat blindness
Scientists funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) are pioneering a stem cell treatment to replace diseased parts of the retina, which could lead to a future treatment for retinal diseases that affect around 3,000 children in the UK.
The researchers from UCL Institute of Child Health and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology successfully implanted cells from healthy mice into mice with an inherited form of childhood blindness called Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA).
The implanted cells express a gene called Crx which is needed to make healthy cone and rod photoreceptors. The cells were able to integrate with the retina and become new cone photoreceptors. This is the first time this has been achieved. Further studies are needed to demonstrate whether it is possible to restore sight using this method.
Dr Jane Sowden from the UCL Institute of Child Health, who led the study, said: “We have shown for the first time that it is possible to transplant new cone photoreceptors into the mature retina. The newly-developed cones looked as good as new. This is an important step forward as cone photoreceptors are essential for reading vision and for colour vision and loss of this type of cell has the biggest impact on sight.
“It may be possible to translate this success into treatments for humans. Recent research has shown that embryonic stem cells capable of self-renewal could provide an equivalent source of human cells that express the Crx ‘photoreceptor-creating’ gene and could be grown in the lab before being transplanted in the retina.”
Professor Robin Ali from UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, who co-led the study, said: “We are now working to assess how much vision can be improved by photoreceptor cell transplantation and how effectively they can replace degenerating cells at different stages of disease. There is still a lot more basic research that needs to be carried out, but this is a very promising area that we hope will translate into a future treatment for patients who cannot see because their photoreceptors have degenerated.”
Investigating replacement and regeneration techniques that can help repair human tissue is a fundamental area of research for the MRC. Studies like this one, which was supported with around £2 million of MRC funding, aim to develop therapies to treat damaged tissue and overcome disease.
One in 3,000 people are affected by incurable genetically inherited retinal disease. LCA is the most severe form that causes blindness from birth or during the first few months of life and affects around 200,000 children worldwide. These diseases cause the light sensitive photoreceptor cells in the retina to die, leading to loss of sight.
‘Cone and rod photoreceptor transplantation in models of the childhood retinopathy Leber congenital amaurosis using flow-sorted Crx-positive donor cells’ is published in Human Molecular Genetics today. The research was funded by the MRC, the Macula Vision Research Foundation and Fight for Sight.
- 9月 23 週四 201008:56
瘦體素、基因晶片 今年諾貝爾獎大熱門
2010年的諾貝爾獎將從10月4日公布物理獎得主開始陸續揭曉，根據湯姆森路透資訊集團的預測，發現幹細胞、控制食慾荷爾蒙「瘦體素」（ leptin），以及提出暗能量正促使宇宙膨脹、開發出「基因晶片」，都是今年可能獲獎人選。
圖為安省癌症學會的麥卡洛克(左)及逖爾
醫學獎︰瘦體素荷爾蒙研究、幹細胞突破
湯姆森路透資訊集團專家潘德柏里，根據該公司資料庫中已發表論文被引用、使用頻率，做出得獎預測。他預測今年醫學獎可能得主包括：美國傑克森實驗室的柯曼與紐約洛克斐勒大學分子遺傳學教授弗里德曼合作發現和食慾、肥胖有關的「瘦體素」荷爾蒙研究，這兩人21日才獲得被視為諾貝爾獎風向球的美國拉斯克醫學研究獎。
- 9月 21 週二 201010:58
當乳癌細胞不活躍時 脂肪幹細胞隆乳手術仍具有安全性
利用自身脂肪細胞進行隆乳手術已行之多年,但是造成併發症和成功率因人而異.科學家最近發現加入脂肪幹細胞(adipose derivated stem cell ; ASDC)可加強血管的形成幫助脂肪細胞增生.
但是如果是乳癌病患,當癌細胞還很活躍(active)時,植入脂肪幹細胞所增強血管的形成也間接幫助癌細胞的生長,並且脂肪幹細胞也會提供生長因子使癌細胞快速增生,這個現象已在老鼠的動物模式實驗被證實.
- 9月 21 週二 201009:15
抑制特定蛋白表現 加強幹細胞移植的白血病治療
- 9月 17 週五 201011:26
幹細胞三合一導管 幫坐骨神經傷患站起來
更新日期:
2010/09/17 00:37【記者陳元春／台北報導】
坐骨神經受傷超過3公分患者，再站起來不難！國衛院研究團隊昨天發表一項細胞移植技術，利用加入神經幹細胞與生長因子的神經導管，植入坐骨神經損傷的大鼠身上，短短一周就能讓大鼠恢復行走，未來可望用於中風、坐骨神經與脊椎受傷患者的神經修復、重建，目前已完成動物實驗，預計明年九月可望進入人體試驗。
費時四年，國衛院研究團隊昨（16）日發表「神經幹細胞及生醫材料應用於神經創傷的修復」技術。國衛院細胞及系統醫學研究所特聘研究員邱英明昨天指出，研究團隊把加入神經幹細胞與第一型纖維母細胞生長因子（FGF1）的神經導管，移植入坐骨神經受傷一公分的大鼠身上，短短一周，就能讓大鼠恢復行走能力。
比起對照組，利用僅加入纖維母細胞生長因子的神經導管，植入老鼠身上，大鼠要費時四周才能開始慢慢拖著走，該項研究證實加入神經幹細胞、生長因子製成的三合一神經導管，更有助大鼠坐骨神經損傷的修復。
特聘研究員邱英明補充，民眾發生重大車禍意外，若坐骨神經損傷超過3公分，可能得一輩子坐輪椅。但該項細胞移植技術，未來可望用於坐骨神經、脊椎、中風與腓神經受傷患者的神經修復、重建，幫患者重新站起來。
邱英明說，該技術目前已完成動物實驗，正向衛生署申請進入人體臨床，可望明年9月進入人體試驗。
- 9月 17 週五 201011:25
地中海貧血 基因治療有望
更新日期:
2010/09/16 11:48
（路透華盛頓16日電）美國與法國研究人員今天指出，罕見基因型貧血病患，經過試驗性基因療法後，可望不再仰賴輸血活命。
這項報告刊登在「自然」期刊（Nature），是基因療法領域中罕見的成功，不過研究人員等專家認為仍有進步空間。
這名乙型地中海貧血病患由於基因缺陷，無法自行生成血紅素。研究人員利用基因療法，修復病患骨髓幹細胞的缺陷基因，再重新植入病患體內。
這份由布里翰婦女醫院（Brigham & Women'sHospital）、哈佛醫學院（Harvard Medical School）及巴黎大學（University of Paris）醫療團隊提出的報告，指這名病患在近3年治療後相當健康，無須接受輸血。
基因療法根據的理論是，導致許多疾病的缺陷基因可以被修復，這種療法前景看好，但方法困難。
全球每年有6萬名兒童被診斷出乙型地中海型貧血。