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New experimental therapies for Parkinson 's disease that inject millions of special stem cells into the brain of patients in this state are currently being tested in clinical trials.
This research, which started in October, was conducted by a researcher from Kyoto University, Japan. So far, researchers have begun treating one person in their 50s according to AFP.
Previous studies have tested stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease, but this is the first study to use so-called derived pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These are "mature" cells (such as blood or skin cells, unlike embryonic cells) reprogrammed to resemble cells in the early developmental stages and are likely to form all cell types of the body.
For this study, researchers used iPSC to create cells that produce brain cells that produce "dopaminergic progenitor" cells or dopamine, a brain chemical needed to regulate muscle movements. In patients with Parkinson's disease, the brain cells that produce dopamine die, causing symptoms such as tremors or difficulty walking, exercising, and coordination. [10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Brain]
In the trial, the Michael J. Fox Foundation expects the transplanted stem cells to replace cells that produce dopamine and help restore dopamine production.
The researchers injected 2.4 million stem cells into the left side of the brain for treatment, according to AFP. The patient will now be monitored for side effects, and if there are no problems, the researcher will inject 2.4 million stem cells to the right side of the brain.
The researchers plan to enroll a total of seven patients at trial and track patients for two years.
Since iPSCs are derived from donors, drugs should be taken to suppress the immune system to prevent rejection of the transplanted cells.
Originally posted Live science.
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