Recent Advances (published since 109^th Congress’s stem cell votes) in Adult Stem Cell Research and Other Alternatives to Embryonic Stem Cell Research

June 2006 – early June 2007

OVERALL SUCCESS

• “Adult cells are behind much of stem cell success so far,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, September 2, 2006, www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=489953&format=print
• “Review: Ex Vivo Engineering of Living Tissues with Adult Stem Cells,” Tissue Engineering, October, 2006, lib.bioinfo.pl/pmid:17064229
• “Cleveland BioLabs Protectan CBLB612 Demonstrates Efficacy In Stimulating Proliferation And Mobilization Of Bone Marrow Stem Cells In Primate Model,” Medical News Today, April 21, 2007, www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=68477

ADULT STEM CELL VERSATILITY

• “Adult stem cells are touchy-feely, need environmental clues,” EurekAlert, August 24, 2006, www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-08/uop-uop082306.php
• “Induction of Pluripotent Stem Cells from Mouse Embryonic and Adult Fibroblast Cultures by Defined Factors,” Cell, August 25, 2006, www.cell.com/content/article/abstract?uid=PIIS0092867406009767&highlight=Yamanaka
• “Adult Stem Cells Can Become Muscle,” The Daily Californian, November 1, 2006, dailycal.org/printable.php?id=22084
• “U of MN adult stem cell research shows promise for transplant therapies,” EurekAlert, January 15, 2007, www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-01/uom-uom011207.php
• “Fate of Bone Marrow Stem Cells Transplanted into the Testis,” The American Journal of Pathology, March 2007, ajp.amjpathol.org/cgi/content/abstract/170/3/899
• “Type of Stem Cell Found to Reside in Transplanted Lungs,” eMaxHealth, March 10, 2007, www.emaxhealth.com/cms?m=show&opt=printable&id=10162

STEM CELL SOURCES

• “Clonogenic multipotent stem cells in human adipose tissue differentiate into functional smooth muscle cells,”Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, June 12, 2006, www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0604850103
• “Fat Stem Cells Being Studied As Option For Breast Reconstruction,” Medical News Today, October 30, 2006, www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=55275
• “Penn Prof. Makes ‘Hair’-Raising Stem Cell Discovery,” The Evening Bulletin (Philadelphia), November 17, 2006, www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17480108&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8
• “Isolation of a Novel Population of Multipotent Adult Stem Cells from Human Hair Follicles,” The American Journal of Pathology, December 2006, tinyurl.com/2fayly
• “Stem cells found in adult hair follicles may provide alternative to embryonic stem cells,” EurekAlert, December 11, 2006, www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-12/mcow-scf121106.php
• “Don’t Surrender Any More Teeth to the Tooth Fairy,” Scientific American, December 26, 2006, www.sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=C0956FBC-E7F2-99DF-3DF2604378A72C61
• “Isolation of amniotic stem cell lines with potential for therapy,” Nature Biotechnology, January 7, 2007, www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v25/n1/abs/nbt1274.html
• “Bioengineer Advances Survival, Promise of Adult Stem Cells,” Science Daily, February 28, 2007, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070227121355.htm
• “Liposuctioned fat stem cells to repair bodies,” Medical News Today,  February 24, 2007, www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=63649

CORD BLOOD

• “States seek to save umbilical cord blood,” Stateline.org (Pew Research Center), August 2, 2006, www.stateline.org/live/printable/story?contentId=131281
• “State expands storage for stem-cell-rich blood,” North Jersey Media Group, Inc., October 18, 2006, tinyurl.com/yv8f3o
• “Stem cell transplant: a ray of hope for thalassemic children,” The Hindu, October 26, 2006, www.thehindu.com/2006/10/26/stories/2006102614470200.htm
• “Cytotherapy Report Confirms BioE Stem Cell First Human Cord Blood Stem Cell to Differentiate into Lung Cell,” BioE News Release (St. Paul, MN), November 1, 2006, www.bioe.com/Detail/Detail.aspx?catID=15&itemID=971
• “New Use of Cord Blood to Treat Childhood Leukemia Study,” Yahoo News, January 5, 2007, www.cordblood.com/cord_blood_news/stem_cell_news/autologous_leukemia.asp
• “First Israeli saved from acute leukemia by umbilical cord blood from two separate births,” Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2007, www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1170359842760&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter
• “Caged Protein Helps Double Cord Blood Stem Cells in Culture,” TherapeuticsDaily, April 24, 2007, tinyurl.com/2adlnd
• “Cord Blood Registry Launches “Heroic” Campaign to Increase Awareness of Medical Benefits of Cord Blood Stem Cells,”Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, May 23, 2007, www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=17897553

BONE/CARTILAGE

• “Gene Silencing Directs Muscle-derived Stem Cells to Become Bone-forming Cells,”  Medical News Today, June 1, 2006, www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=44400
• “One-Off Treatment to Stop Back Pain – Using Patients’ Own Stem Cells,” Innovations Report Web site, November 30, 2006, www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/medizin_gesundheit/bericht-75132.html
• “Aussie stem cell trial wins US approval,” The Age (Australia), December 20, 2006, www.theage.com.au/news/National/Aussie-stem-cell-trial-wins-US-approval/2006/12/20/1166290605626.html
• “Stem cells revolutionize spinal surgery,” Victoria Advocate (Texas), February 3, 2007, www.cmbt.su/eng/news/news879.html
• “Case Study Reports That Orthopedic Trauma Surgeon Injects Adult Stem Cells Derived From the Patient’s Own Marrow Into Her Broken Legs, Which Had Not Healed by Seven Months Post-Injury – Instead of Open Surgery,” Yahoo Finance, February 8, 2007, biz.yahoo.com/iw/070208/0213099.html?printer=1
• “Healing Bone with Stem Cells,” Technology Review (Published by MIT), March 7, 2007, www.technologyreview.com/printer_friendly_article.aspx?id=18274
• “System For Expanding Stem Cells To Form Cartilage Tissue Under Development,” ScienceDaily, April 20, 2007, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070419101148.htm
• “Horses lead humans in stem cells race,” Reuters, April 24, 2007, www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSL1769041120070424?feedType=RSS

BRAIN DAMAGE

• “Transplanted adult neural progenitor cells survive, differentiate and reduce motor function impairment in a rodent model of Huntington’s disease,” Experimental Neurology, June 2006, tinyurl.com/26jr9j
• “Researchers Find Healing Potential in Everyday Human Brain Cells,” Newswise, August 16, 2006, www.newswise.com/p/articles/view/522823/
• “Scientists spur growth of adult brain stem cells,” MSNBC (Reuters), November 14, 2006, www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15720021/print/1/displaymode/1098/
• “An appointment with chance,” The Economist, November 30, 2006, www.economist.com/science/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=8348729
• “Cells’ Capability in Mouse Brain Tissue Repair Revealed By UCSF Stem Cell Study,” Medical News Today, December 21, 2006, www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=59133
• “Scientists produce neurons from human skin,” EurekAlert, February 22, 2007, www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/ul-spn022207.php
• “Stem Cells Fill In When Smell-related Cells Fail,” ScienceDaily, May 3, 2007, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070429154913.htm
  (Also see: “Contribution of olfactory neural stem cells to tissue
  maintenance and    regeneration,” Nature Neuroscience, April 29, 2007, www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nn1882.html)
• “China hope for cerebral palsy girl,” MSN (United Kingdom), May, 25, 2007, news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=4988374

 CANCER

• “Catholic Priest’s Adult Stem Cell Donation Saves Kentucky Woman’s Life,” LifeNews.com (Kansas City, MO), June 29, 2006, 66.195.16.55/bio1580.html
• “Cancer-Killing Invention Also Harvests Stem Cells,” Medical News Today, January 8, 2007, www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=60251
• “Researchers first to map gene that regulates adult stem cell growth,” EurekAlert, January 14, 2007, www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-01/uok-rft011207.php
• “A new hope for cancer treatment: ‘U’ researchers find stem cells that cause tumors,” Michigan Daily, February 2, 2007, tinyurl.com/yptzlk

 DIABETES

• “Stem cells may help Bergen boy fight diabetes,” NorthJersey.com (North Jersey Media Group Inc.), August 18, 2006, tinyurl.com/2xkss4
• “International Trial of the Edmonton Protocol for Islet Transplantation,” New England Journal of Medicine, September 28, 2006, content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/355/13/1318?firstpage=1318&volume=355&sendit=
  GO&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&volume=355&firstpage=1318&resourcetype=HWCIT
• “Insulin Stem Cells Hold Hope for Diabetes Treatment,” Forbes, November 7, 2006, www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/11/07/hscout535944.html
• “Multipotent stromal cells from human marrow home to and promote repair of pancreatic islets and renal glomeruli in diabetic NOD scid mice,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), November 14, 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17088535
• “AmCyte Presents Promising Adult Stem Cell Data at 7^th Annual Rachmiel Levine Diabetes and Obesity Symposium,” Genetic Engineering News, November 9, 2006, www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=8531775&child=4&taxid=39
• “Researchers Make Stem Cell Breakthrough,” The Korea Times, January 23, 2007, ora.ra.cwru.edu/stemcellcenter/news/News%20January%2007/
  Researchers%20Make%20Stem%20Cell%20Breakthrough.htm
• “Diabetes repair ‘occurs in womb’,” BBC News, January 23, 2007, newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6286997.stm
• “Autologous Nonmyeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus,”Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), April 11, 2007, jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/297/14/1568
  (Also see: “Stem cell experiment lets diabetics forgo insulin,” MSNBC.com, April 10, 2007, www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18040485/print/1/displaymode/1098/)
• “WnT signaling regulates pancreatic beta cell proliferation,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS), Advance Online Publication April 2, 2007, www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0701509104v1
• “Adult Stem/Progenitor Cells Repair Of Damaged Brain, Pancreas, Kidney Cells Newly Understood,” Medical News Today, May 3, 2007, www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=69354
• ” Directed engineering of umbilical cord blood stem cells to produce C-peptide and insulin,” Cell Proliferation, June 2007, www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2184.2007.00439.x

 EYE/EAR

• “Bone Marrow May Restore Cells Lost in Vision Diseases,” Science Daily (University of Florida), June 8, 2006, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060608225650.htm
• “Eye experts showcase new treatments for glaucoma,” ABC Sydney, November 7, 2006, www.abc.net.au/news/items/200611/1783265.htm?sydney
• “Retinal repair by transplantation of photoreceptor precursors,” Nature, November 9, 2006, www.nature.com/nature/journal/v444/n7116/abs/nature05161.html
• “Study shows isolation of stem cells may lead to a treatment for hearing loss,” EurekAlert, April 5, 2007, www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-04/cwru-ss040507.php
• “Stem cell patch restores vision,” The University of Melbourne Voice, April 16-30, 2007, uninews.unimelb.edu.au/articleid_4135.html(Also see: “Nearly-blind, But Saved By Stem Cell Patch,” Bernama:Malaysian National News Agency, April 18, 2007, www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=257390)
• “Bone Marrow Stem Cells May Cure Eye Disease,”University of Cincinnati Health News, May 10, 2007, healthnews.uc.edu/news/?/4881

 HEART

• “Researchers grow human heart tissue from stem cells,” ABC Online, June 7, 2006, www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1657710.htm
• “Stem Cell Trials Show Sustained Heart Function Improvement,” Medical News Today, September 21, 2006, www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=52366
• “Cultured autologous stem cell trials show sustained heart function improvement,” Managed Care Business Week, October 17, 2006, www.newsrx.com/article.php?articleID=365417
• “Injecting Patient’s Own Stem Cells Treats Severe Coronary Artery Disease,” Medical News Today, October 24, 2006, www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=54836
• “Using the Body’s Own Stem Cells to Grow New Arteries,” KGO-TV / ABC-7 (San Francisco), November 12, 2006, abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=edell&id=4754901&ft=print
• “Adult Pig Stem Cells Show Promise in Repairing Animals’ Heart Attack Damage,” Johns Hopkins University Web site, November 13, 2006, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2006/11_13_06.html
• “Amniotic Stem Cells Offer Hope Against Congenital Heart Defects,” Washington Post, November 14, 2006, www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/14/AR2006111400889_pf.html
• “Potential Source of Stem Cells for Heart Repair, Other Uses Found in Fat of Elderly, Chronically Diseased Patients: Presented at AHA,” Doctor’s Guide, November 17, 2006, www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/NewsPrint/852571020057CCF
  685257229005A86CB
• “Adult Heart Cells Learn to Heal,” Medical News Today, November 20, 2006, www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=57088
• “U of M Finds Cell in Adult Heart with Embryonic Stem Cell Capability,” Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota, January 18, 2007, www.ahc.umn.edu/print/news/releases/heartcell011807/home.html
• “Desperation leads to one last gamble in overcoming heart failure,” Orlando Sentinel, January 28, 2007, www.orlandosentinel.com/features/health/orl-stemcell2807jan28,0,2065178.story?coll=orl-dp-classifieds
• “Stem cells from fat transplanted into heart,”MSNBC (Reuters), February 6, 2007, www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17007196/print/1/displaymode/1098/
• “Heart patients head to Bangkok for life-saving stem cell treatment,” Vescell Web Site, February 13, 2007, www.vescell.com/stem-cell-news/88
• “M.D. Anderson moves forward in heart repair research,” Houston Business Journal, February 15, 2007, masshightech.bizjournals.com/masshightech/
  othercities/houston/stories/2007/02/12/daily66.html?t=printable
• “‘Sticky’ Proteins Fuse Adult Stem Cells to Cardiac Muscle, Repairing Hearts,” Newswise, February 15, 2007, www.newswise.com/p/articles/view/527347
• “FDA Approves Phase 1 Stem Cell Research Therapy for Congestive Heart Failure,” PRLog – Online Press Release Service, March 25, 2007, www.prlog.org/10011668-fda-approves-phase-1-stem-cell-research-therapy-for-congestive-heart-failure.html
• “Osiris’ Adult Stem Cells Help Heart Attack Patients in Study,” Bloomberg News Service, March 25, 2007, quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&refer=&sid=a_YZBRXSFiKs
• “British team grows human heart valve from stem cells,” The Guardian (UK), April 2, 2007, www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,329765220-110418,00.html
• “Valley cardiologist develops technique to repair tissue in heart attack patients,” The Arizona Republic, April 13, 2007, www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/0413heart0413.html
• “Stem Cell Trial Involves Austin Heart Patients,” CBS Broadcasting (Austin, TX), May 9, 2007, keyetv.com/topstories/local_story_129184435.html
• “Turning gene ‘on’ helped mice fix broken hearts,” Reuters, May 10, 2007, www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18602323/

 IMMUNE SYSTEM (Multiple sclerosis, lupus, etc.)

• “Stem Cell Treatment Eliminates Lupus,” ABC7/KGO-TV/DT (San Francisco), June 5, 2006, abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=edell&id=4238935&ft=print
• “Adult stem cells in the treatment of autoimmune diseases,” Rheumatology, October, 2006, rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/45/10/1187
• “Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in autoimmune diseases: the ahmedabad experience,” Transplant Proceedings, April 2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/
  query.fcgi?tmpl=NoSidebarfile&db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=17445577&dopt=Abstract
• “Cellerant Therapeutics Reversed Autoimmune Disease in Lupus Mice with Transplant of Purified Donor Blood Stem Cells,” Business Wire, April 23, 2007, home.businesswire.com/portal/
  site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070423005730&newsLang=en
• “Stem cell treatment may ease MS suffering,” Irish Times, May 1, 2007, www.therapeuticsdaily.com/
  news/article.cfm?contentValue=1339640&contentType=sentryarticle&channelID=29

 KIDNEY/LIVER

• “Isolation and Characterization of Multipotent Progenitor Cells from the Bowman’s Capsule of Adult Human Kidneys,”Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, August 2, 2006, jasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/
  content/abstract/17/9/2443?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&
  RESULTFORMAT=&author1=Sagrinati%2C+C&fulltext=kidneys&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=
  0&sortspec=relevance&volume=17&firstpage=2443&resourcetype=HWCIT
• “British scientists grow human liver in a laboratory,” Daily Mail (United Kingdom), Oct. 30, 2006, www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/text/print.html?in_article_id=413551&in_page_id=1770
• “Stem Cells Speed Growth of Healthy Liver Tissue,” ScienceDaily, March 28, 2007, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070327094518.htm

 MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY/MUSCLE REPAIR

• “Mesoangioblast stem cells ameliorate muscle function in dystrophic dogs,” Nature, November 15, 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&list_uids=17108972&cmd=Retrieve&indexed=google
• “Human adult stem cells regenerate muscle,” United Press International, February 15, 2007, www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/20070215-024231-4646r/
• “Stem cells used to treat incontinence,” USA Today, May 21, 2007, www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-05-21-muscle-cells_N.htm
• “Injection of Autologous Muscle Stem Cells (Myoblasts) for the Treatment of Vocal Fold Paralysis: A Pilot Study,” The Laryngoscope, May 2007, www.laryngoscope.com/pt/re/
  laryngoscope/abstract.00005537-200705000-00032.htm;jsessionid=
  Gk2ZpbCj2nJYB9pHPRwtvPQLQdXQyrxvBh2nRJt2yz4LQnR0rVDX!-879589638!-949856144!8091!-1
• “Muscle-Building Stem Cells Point To Regenerative Therapies For Muscular Disease,” Stem Cell Research News, May 31, 2007, www.stemcellresearchnews.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=673&z=5

 PARKINSON’S DISEASE

• “Stem Cell Treatment Proven to Reduce Parkinson’s Symptoms,” Medical News Today, October 25, 2006, www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=54956
• “Generation of Functional Dopamine Neurons from Neural Precursor Cells Isolated from the Subventricular Zone and White Matter of the Adult Rat Brain Using Nurr1 Overexpression,” Stem Cells, May 2007, stemcells.alphamedpress.org/cgi/content/short/25/5/1252

 SPINAL CORD

• “Olfactory Mucosa Autografts in Human Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Clinical Study,” Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2006, www.apssci.org/pdf/olfactory.pdf
• “Bone marrow stromal cells can achieve cure of chronic paraplegic rats: Functional and morphological outcome one year after transplantation,” Science Direct, July 10, 2006, tinyurl.com/2ar3hn
• “Pioneering steps for spine treatment,” Atlanta Business Chronicle, October 23, 2006, atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2006/10/23/story6.html
• “The use of hemopoietic stem cells derived from human umbilical cord blood to promote restoration of spinal cord tissue and recovery of hindlimb function in adult rats,” Journal of Neurosurgery, Spine (JNAS), November 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?tmpl=NoSidebarfile&db=
  PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=17120892&dopt=Abstract
• “Man walks, courtesy stem cell therapy,” The Tribune (India), February 25, 2007, www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070226/main7.htm
• “Neuralstem’s Cells Restore Motor Function In Spinal Ischemia-Paralyzed Rats,” Medical News Today, May 31, 2007, www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=72613

 WOUNDS/BURNS

• “Adult Stem Cells Can Reduce the Side Effects of Radiation Therapy,” FreeRepublic.com (Fresno, CA), October 9, 2006, www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1716594/posts
• “IU doctors treating PAD with stem cells,” South Bend Tribune (Indiana), December 13, 2006, www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
  article?AID=/20061213/Lives08/612130449/-1/LIVES05/CAT=Lives08
• “Aldagen Announces Texas Heart Institute as First Site in its Stem Cell Clinical Trial to Treat Critical Limb Ischemia,” Medical News Today, December 16, 2006, www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=59182
• “Amatokin(R), the Controversial ‘Stem Cell’ Mystery Wrinkle Cream Comes to America,” Business Wire, April 10, 2007, biz.yahoo.com/bw/070410/20070410005130.html?.v=1
• “Nonmyeloablative Stem Cell Therapy Enhances Microcirculation and Tissue Regeneration in Murine Inflammatory Bowel Disease,” Gastroenterology, March 2007, www.gastrojournal.org/article/PIIS0016508506026795/abstract
• “Baldness breakthrough: Stem cells coaxed into growing hair,” (London) Daily Mail, May 16, 2007, www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=455382&in_page_id=1965

We advise you to look up these articles and, if you want to print hard copies, do so immediately, as some may be available online for a short time only.  If the link is no longer working, do an Internet search for the article, as it may be posted elsewhere, or contact the address below to obtain a hard copy.

Articles compiled by
Richard M. Doerflinger
Deputy Director of Pro-Life Activities
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street NE, Washington D.C. 20017
202-541-3070 / fax 202-541-3054
rdoerflinger@usccb.org