Multiple Sclerosis Damage Washed Away By Stream of Young Blood 216
FatLittleMonkey writes "A new study on mice suggests damage caused by diseases like Multiple sclerosis, as well as natural aging, can be reversed by an infusion of stem cell rich blood from younger mice. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that erodes the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord, and can result in serious disability. Similar effects occur naturally with aging. From New Scientist: 'White blood cells called macrophages from the young mice gathered at the sites of myelin damage. Macrophages engulf and destroy pathogens and debris, including destroyed myelin. "We know this debris inhibits regeneration, so clearing it up is important," says team member Amy Wagers of Harvard University.' Here's the academic paper's abstract."
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Links to Aspartame (Score:5, Informative)
I'm afraid not [snopes.com]. There is no conclusive link between aspartame and MS within the scientific community. Such claims are often repeated by doctors-turned-authors, scam artists, and conspiracy theorists, though.
Moving on, I do wish this madness with stem cells would end. They have their own soul as much as my feces (mostly dead blood cells and bacteria) do.
Re:Links to Aspartame (Score:3, Informative)
I am not really sure to be honest. I do not see what these individuals can benefit from scaring people away from aspartame? The security industry? I am suspicious of aspartame because it was/has been manufactured by Monsanto and know people with MS who drink too much diet colas.
http://bolenreport.com/feature_articles/feature_article062.htm [bolenreport.com]
http://laurafreberg.com/blog/?p=55 [laurafreberg.com]
There is at least a link to symptoms that are similar to MS. Given the number of people who drink diet coke, there must be some people who are sensitive to it.
Re:Links to Aspartame (Score:4, Informative)
I only submitted the story because of the original headline "MS damage washed away by a stream of young blood", in anticipation of Microsoft jokes. (Curse you, competent editors.) Glad to see I got my jokes after all.
Thank you sir and/or madam.
Re:Monsanto? (Score:5, Informative)
It's due to a hoax that made the email rounds years ago and it's never been completely eradicated. People keep it going because of irrational fears and conspiracy theories.