Of possible interest to those teaching biopsychology (or as we used to call it, physiological psychology):
A small California biotech company, Geron, has started a trial atttemping for the first time to use embryonic stem cells to repair spinal cord damage in humans. The first patient was an individual with recent spinal cord damage, rendering him partially paralyzed. This initial study is not intended to study whether function can be restored, only to determine whether the procedure is safe. The research is controversial because of its use of cells derived from human embryos, and it consequently received no US government support. But it has enormous potential, not only for treating paralysis, but for other serious brain disorders, such as multiple sclerosis. The BBC has a report on the research at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11517680 Unfortunately, they are wrong in describing the stem cells as "cells coaxed to become nerve cells". In fact, it is hoped they will become oligodendrocytes, which produce myelin and promote nerve growth. Geron's own news release, less readable, makes this clear (at http://tinyurl.com/27cbvk6 ). Disclosure: Some years ago I bought a small number of Geron shares because of my interest in such biomedical marvels. To date, I've only managed to lose 80% of my investment :-( (about the same as I lost on a now defunct Canadian company which used goats to produce spider silk--see the out-of-date article in Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BioSteel ). Stephen -------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University e-mail: sblack at ubishops.ca ---------------------------------------------- --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=5787 or send a blank email to leave-5787-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
