The Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development said its research team was the first to achieve the controlled, laboratory development of nerve cells from embryonic stem cells. So for instance, if we made dopamine-producing nerve cells, those can potentially be used to treat Parkinson's disease. Embryonic stem cells are building blocks which can turn into virtually any type of cell in the body.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter linked with movement, attention span and certain bodily sensations.
Parkinson's disease, an incurable and fatal brain disease, results when cells that usually produce dopamine die. The Monash team worked in conjunction with the National University of Singapore and Hadassah Medical Center, where the cells used in the research were developed from human embryos. The researchers said one of the problems facing scientists worldwide had been to find a way to develop specific types of cells from the master stem cells and then harness their medical potential. The Monash center described its achievement as a major breakthrough in the fight to use stem cells therapeutically. We are the first to show you can do that in a controlled fashion.