Download New Treatments Methods for TBI

New Treatments Methods
for TBI
Brain Works Corner –
November 2015
Created For You By:
No Limits Eastern Shore
www.nolimiteasternshore.com
Please feel free to download, print, or share this
PowerPoint with credit given to No Limits
Eastern Shore.
Cell Transplantation
• October 29, 2015 – a research team from the
University of Maryland, Baltimore and the
Veterans Administration Maryland Healthcare
System has successfully directed human
neural progenitor cells (hNPCS) to injured
brain areas.
What in the world is a human neural
progenitor cell?!
• “A progenitor cell is a biological
cell that, like a stem cell, has a
tendency to change into a specific
type of cell, but is already more
specific than a stem cell and is
pushed to change into its "target"
cell.
• The most important difference
between stem cells and
progenitor cells is that stem cells
can replicate indefinitely, whereas
progenitor cells can divide only a
limited number of times.
• Controversy about the exact
definition remains and the
concept is still evolving.
How are they guiding these cells?
• Magnets!
• They attach iron-oxide to the
cells and then guide them to
injured areas using a magnetic
field.
• This form of guiding cells
allows for the increased ability
to direct the cells to areas of
the brain that have been
injured as well as allowing the
cells to be retained.
There Are Still Questions
• This is not ready to be tested on humans! But it is a
huge step in potentially treating TBI!
• At this point they need to determine:
– What happens after the magnetic field is removed? Will
the cells stay and continue to repair the injured areas?
– What are the limits of these cells? Would they potentially
have problems if a stronger magnetic field were to be
introduced? Do you need to be careful where you go?
– What is the minimum length of time that the magnetic
field must be in place to allow successful cell
transplantation?