Friday, April 1, 2011

Stem cell advances can aid patients having back pain

Researchers have recently made a breakthrough in finding a way to re-grow a damaged spine.

The damaged discs in between vertebrae commonly cause lower back pain and earlier it was thought to be nearly impossible for the cartilage discs to heal.

But Swedish researchers believe they have succeeded in growing human stem cells that can aid damaged disc to regenerate.

Disc degeneration happens when there is an alteration in the properties of invertebrate discs that are chiefly made of cartilage which results in the risk of them becoming too thin.

Degenerative discs are considered to be responsible for pained caused to the lower back when one vertebrae rubs onto another. Back discs are commonly considered to be not able to heal themselves.

According to Helena Barreto-Henriksson, a researcher in the Gothenburg University, her team has found out regions in the discs that are similar to stem cells and might have the potential to re-grow.

She added that it is a general belief that cartilage has zero or very little capacity to heal themselves and the knowledge regarding how cell division takes place in invertebrate discs is restricted.

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