London, England (AHN) - A dramatic series of tests have shown stem cell
therapy can halt, and in some cases reverse a form of muscular dystrophy in
dogs.
The findings, which will appear in the journal Nature, are giving experts
hope that soon a human-based test will produce the same results.
Professor Giulio Cossu, the director of the Stem Cell Research Institute of
San Raffaele Scientific Institute of Milan has been working with golden
retreavers, who are also afflicted by the disease naturally, and found that
through stem cell therapy they were able to give muscle fibres the protein
dystrophin which had been lacking.
Professor George Dickson of Royal Holloway, University of London tells the
British paper, the Telegraph, that the results are "a very significant advance,
perhaps even a breakthrough."
Dr. Marita Pohlschmidt, the director of research at the Muscular Dystrophy
Campaign, believes, "If it does prove to be successful in humans, this
technology has the potential to develop into an efficient and ground breaking
treatment."
