According to researchers at the College of Medicine at Peoria, stem cells from human umbilical cord blood may provide new therapeutic methods for spinal cord injury patients.
In the study, researchers successfully transplanted human umbilical cord blood stem cells into the spinal cords of paralyzed adult male rats. Within two weeks, the injured animals showed recovery of hind leg locomotor function. The study was led by Jasti S. Rao, PhD, professor and head of cancer biology and pharmacology, and Dzung Dinh, MD, professor of neurosurgery. Their findings were reported in the March issue of the Journal of Neurotrauma.
The study was made possible by a change in the Illinois Hospital Licensing Act. In 2004, the Act was amended so that state hospitals could begin offering pregnant women the option of donating unused cord blood to research facilities or public banks.
Peoria is poised to be a leader in this research, with affiliates OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Methodist Medical Center, and Proctor Hospital participating in collection and research programs. Combined, the three institutions account for approximately 5,000 infant deliveries each year.
Those numbers are especially promising to Peggy Mankin, the health research specialist who is managing local collection efforts. If a pregnant woman has not made a decision to bank her babys cord blood, she may want to consider donating it for research, says Mankin. Its an irreplaceable source of stem cells that are being used worldwide in a great variety of medical and research applications.