Blood vessel stem cells regenerate muscle fibres
Cells taken from blood vessels are able to regenerate skeletal muscle, offering the hope of new therapies for muscular dystrophy, according to new research. The study, which was partly funded by the EU-funded EuroStemCell project, is published online by the journal Nature Cell Biology. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene, which is involved in muscle formation. The scientists took stem cells from the walls of the blood vessels of human DMD patients, and genetically modified them to make them produce dystrophin correctly. They then cultured in the lab, until they had a good stock of cells. The cells were then injected into the bloodstream of mice with muscular dystrophy. The cells then found their way to the affected muscles, where they were able to partly regenerate the muscle, by generating large numbers of new fibres which were creating dystrophin. Furthermore, the cells were shown to reconstitute the muscle's own stem cell population. According to the researchers, the technique 'may be a promising candidate for future cell-therapy protocols in patients.' Usually DMD affects only boys, who become progressively weaker over time as their muscle cells break down and die. By secondary school age, most patients need a wheelchair to get around, and few patients survive beyond their twenties. While it is possible to manage the condition, there is as yet no cure.