Stem Cells to Help Multiple Sclerosis Research

By Brett Drummond

There has been a lot of media attention lately regarding the use of stem cells as a potential therapy in multiple sclerosis. However, stem cells are also being used extensively as a tool for research into MS. Here is an example of an exciting breakthrough from the middle of 2012, which we have used to provide a perfect example of how we aim to engage and inform you about MS research.

First – I’d like you to read an online report detailing this research breakthrough for MS:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120624134823.htm

Following that, I’d like you to read my curated version below. This is the version that I’ve put together that explains the research in easy to understand terms and outlines why their findings are significant for people with MS. After you have read it, I would love to get some comments on what you think….

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have managed to use stem cells, cells that have the potential to become many different cells in the body, to create the cells that form the blood brain barrier.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS?

The blood brain barrier (BBB) is a physiological barrier between the circulating blood and the central nervous system. It regulates what molecules are and aren’t able to move from blood to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). For example, bacteria generally are stopped from getting access to the CSF and brain, however, smaller molcules such as oxygen and hormone are able to pass through this barrier. In MS however, the BBB becomes more permeable and molecules of the immune system are able to pass through and it is these molecules that then cause the damage to the myelin sheath that is observed in the disease.

Therefore, being able to understand the BBB is critical in understanding the immune response in MS. It has always been very difficult to research though – with scientists only being able to use animal models or brain tissue donated after death. Both of these approaches have their limitations. This advance in being able to create an artificial BBB from stem cells opens the possibility for much more useful research into how the BBB functions, how it is breached during MS and more effective testing of new therapeutics and their ability to cross the BBB.