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November 21, 2008 6:56:49 PM CST

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Cloned Stem Cells Best for Parkinson's

Posted Mar 24, 08 9:00 CDT in Science & Health 

(Newser) – Scientists have found that embryonic stem cells effectively treat Parkinson's disease in lab mice, but only when the cells come from the sick mouse's own clones, Reuters reports. The study, published in Nature Medicine, created "therapeutic clones" by transferring cell nuclei into mouse egg cells and growing them into the type of brain cells Parkinson's destroys.

Using cloned stem cells from other mice produced "more inflammation than we anticipated," say the researchers. "It demonstrated what we suspected all along—that genetically matched tissue works better." The next step is to attempt the process using the less controversial method of creating "induced pluripotent" stem cells by reprogramming the genes of other cells to make them act like embryonic stem cells.

Source Reuters

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Scientists announced a breakthrough in Parkinson's research involving treating mice with their own cloned embryonic stem cells, a method that could eventually be used on humans.   (Associated Press)
Michael J. Fox, a Parkinson's sufferer, supports research of the sort that reached today's breakthrough in treating the disease in mice.   (Associated Press)
The X-Ray image of a patient with Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) leads implanted. Deep brain stimulation is routinely done for Parkinson's disease and some other illnesses.   (Associated Press)
Scientists induced Parkinson's-like symptoms in lab mice and treated them with therapeutically cloned stem cells, producing marked improvement and raising hopes for treatment in humans   (Flickr)
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