New research has discovered that mesenchymal stem cells from cord blood might be beneficial for patients with severe eye and corneal disease. The study transplanted the stem cells in an attempt to restore transparency to the cloudy corneas of laboratory mice.
Corneal disease is currently treated through cornea transplants. Unfortunately, there is only a limited supply, leaving many patients without options.
The human stem cells were transplanted into the corneal stroma of the mouse eyes. The cleared the cloudiness from the corneas of the mice. In addition, these cells survived for more than 3 months without much sign of graft rejection. With any type of transplantation, rejection is one of the biggest concerns. The body tries to reject things that it finds foreign. In fact, when the study explored human umbilical hematopoitic stem cells, they were often rejected.
Umbilical blood stem cells hold amazing potential for the treatment of a number of different diseases. This is just one example of the amazing potential for stem cells. To learn more about future potential for cord blood treatments, click here.
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