A team of scientists from the University of Toronto are proposing a new therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis. They have already tested it on mice.
The authors, led by John Davies was administered to animals suffering from osteoporosis injections of mesenchymal stem cells obtained from healthy rodents.
Examining the animals six months after injection showed the introduction of the cells resulted in restoration of the integrity of bone and an easing of the symptoms of osteoporosis.
The advantage of mesenchymal stem cells is that they can differentiate into cells of other types, and in addition, they are not rejected after administration.
The scientists have already begun the first tests on human patients suffering from osteoporosis. This work is being conducted jointly with researchers from the US.
Mesenchymal stem cells have been introduced into the patients, and now the scientists are observing the effects of this procedure closely. All study participants regularly undergo a blood test in order to be able to follow the markers associated with bone growth. Within five years, the scientists plan to conduct more research.
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