According to Brigid Hogan, a stem cell researcher from Vanderbilt University, researchers have also shown that skin taken from adults could be turned into bone. Stem cell research also offers promising medical advances in treating other diseases. The most exciting prospects include making transplantable brain cells for patients with Parkinson's disease and pancreatic cells that produce insulin for patients with diabetes. Researchers are also investigating whether implanting nerve cells in the region of the brain damaged by stroke could help restore brain function. If further research with human embryos proves successful, the researchers say that growing bone from stem cells could help improve the lives of patients with severe osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease that affects mostly post-menopausal women.
It is estimated that one in two women over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture. A loss of bone density causes bones to become brittle, and in turn, leads to frequent fractures and other serious effects. Copyright 1997-2001 Imaginis Corporation. All rights reserved. Imaginis is a registered service mark of Imaginis Corporation, a health services company.