THERAPEUTIC CLONING HAS CURED PARKINSON'S DISEASE IN MICE

Therapeutic Cloning Has Cured Parkinson's Disease In Mice
U.S. researchers from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York) have successfully treated Parkinson's disease in mice through therapeutic cloning. The discovery is published in the medical journal Nature Medicine.

Therapeutic cloning or "nuclear transfer of somatic cells (SCNT)” involves inserting the nucleus of a differentiated somatic cell donor to a recipient enucleated oocyte.

This cell develops to the blastocyst stage from which to isolate embryonic stem cells (ES) which themselves can be differentiated cell lines defined. The cells obtained are genetically identical to the donor, they are therefore spared by the immune system and thus avoiding the problems of rejection.

This new study shows that therapeutic cloning can treat Parkinson's disease in mice. Researchers have taken skin cells from the tail of the animal to obtain dopaminergic neurons (nerve cells damaged in disease Parkinson) called autologous (from the same organism and transplant this one). The mouse model of Parkinson's disease who received these neurons presented a consistent neurological improvement. In contrast, when neurons were transplanted in an animal not compatible, the cells did not survive and the animal showed no sign of improvement.

Source: Nature Medicine, Eurekalert