Video

Few College Students Have Received the H1N1 Vaccine

Night Lights Could Lead to Depression

Cervarix Has Been Approved by the FDA

The FDA Is Studying the Effects of Lasik Surgery

Painkillers Can Dull the Effects of Childhood Vaccines

Childbirth May Becoming More Complicated

Botox Sponges Might Help Nose Allergies

The FDA Advises on How to Properly Dispose of Medicine

A French Study Shows Cell Phones Do Not Affect Humans

MRIs May Lead to More Back Surgery

Your More Likely to Wash Your Hands If Someone's Watching

Co-Sleeping Is a Leading Cause of SIDS

Night Shifts Don't Have a Major Effect On Surgeons

Exercise May Counter Fatigue from Chemotherapy

Healthy Neighborhoods Could Lower the Risk for Diabetes

Stem Cells Repair Acute Lung Injury in Mice

Posted on 11/05/2009, 16:00
By -- Robert Preidt

Study findings may lead to way to prevent this cause of death in people

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Adult stem cells from bone marrow can prevent acute lung injury in mice, U.S. researchers report.

Acute lung injury, which is caused by major inflammation or injury to the lungs, causes about 74,500 deaths each year in the United States. There is no effective drug treatment for the condition, which is a major cause of death among patients in intensive care units.

A team at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine identified progenitor stem cells in the bone marrow of mice that could prevent and treat acute lung injury. The researchers also found a way to culture the cells -- called Flk-1 and CD34 -- to increase their numbers and ability to attach to targets and make repairs.

When the purified and cultured Flk-1 and CD34 stem cells were injected into mice with acute lung injury, the cells repaired the lung injury, prevented fluid build-up and improved survival of the mice, the researchers found.

The study not only showed that stem cell treatment may be a promising therapy for acute lung injury, "but also provided us with the means to understand how these progenitor cells did their repair work. These therapeutic cells employed integrins to stick to the site of injury and turn on cellular and molecular repair machinery," lead author Kishore Wary, an assistant professor of pharmacology, said in a university news release.

The researchers hope to test this stem cell therapy in human acute lung injury.

The study was published recently in the online edition of the journal Stem Cells.

More information

Oregon State University has more about common lung injuries.

SOURCE: University of Illinois at Chicago, news release, Oct. 28, 2009

More news in Cold and Flu...

BigHealthTree.com Disclaimer

Bighealthtree.com Does Not Provide Medical Advice. This site, including the above information, is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or health advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified health or medical professional before starting any new treatment, changing existing treatment, or altering your current exercise and/or diet program. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911 (or the emergency services in your area) or your doctor immediately.

Rating: 2.9 / 5 (20 votes)