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Cord Blood Breakthrough Offers Leukemia Hope

Multiplying umbilical stem cells could overcome need for donor matching

By Jane Yager,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 18, 2010 4:00 AM CST
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(Newser) – A pioneering technique for multiplying umbilical cord cells has placed the long-elusive "holy grail" of leukemia research in sight, offering new hope for bone marrow transplant recipients. Researchers have manipulated a "signaling pathway" in umbilical cord cells to create more stem cells—thus overcoming the longstanding problem of newly produced cells being ordinary blood cells rather than stem cells, BBC reports.

The availability of neutral stem cells in unlimited numbers would remove the need for transplant donor matching—a major obstacle for patients, as 30% of potential stem cell transplant patients overall and 95% of racial minority patients never find a suitable donor, Science Daily reports. Further investment in umbilical cord blood is "crucial if we are to capitalize on this amazing resource and save more lives," a leukemia expert said.

A colony of human embryonic stem cells is seen on a computer monitor hooked to a microscope at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center at University Wisconsin-Madison March 10, 2009.
A colony of human embryonic stem cells is seen on a computer monitor hooked to a microscope at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center at University Wisconsin-Madison March 10, 2009.   (Getty Images)
In this file photo originally made available by Advanced Cell Technology in 2006, a single cell is removed from a human embryo to be used in generating embryonic stem cells for scientific research.
In this file photo originally made available by Advanced Cell Technology in 2006, a single cell is removed from a human embryo to be used in generating embryonic stem cells for scientific research.   (AP Photo/Advanced Cell Technology)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
Zero
Jan 19, 2010 12:28 PM CST
"Bible says it's a no no" they mention stem cells in the bible? WOW
hankhill
Jan 18, 2010 7:58 AM CST
HOPE IT WORKS GOOD LUCK
DontLikeYou___
Jan 18, 2010 4:01 AM CST
Fuck it, let's just clone people for body parts while we're at it.

 
cancer • stem cell research • stem cells • cells • transplant • leukemia • umbilical cord • blood donor • umbilical cord cells

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