Apr 09 2009
A Shot in the Arm–Future Fix for Bones and Cartilage
The practice of medicine is becoming more SciFi-like all the time! I am waiting for the day when the doctor can run a scan like Dr. McCoy (the ship’s doctor) did on the TV show “Star Trek!” That will be a day to celebrate! Till then, we can still encounter the SciFi in our medicine and health! Scientists are currently working on many applications for stem cells. I read about a new application in the news this morning. The new stem cell application might be able to fix damaged bones and cartilage with only an injection! This would be a great help for those with broken bones and those who suffer with certain types of arthritis!
The article I read was on the BBC online…you can find it here . It is amazing! Scientists are looking at injecting immature stem cells into the body. These cells would first be harvested from the patient’s own bone marrow. Next, the stem cells would be coated with magnetic particles in the lab. After this, the patient would be injected with the cells, and the cells would be guided to the damaged area by magnets! This therapy could lead into healing and repairing damaged bone and cartilage! Evidently, this treatment has seen successful outcomes when used with mice. The next step will be to research this treatment with goats.
The SciFi in medicine is here and now…scientists and researchers the world over are working on finding new therapies, and even cures, that will help us all to lead healthier lives. And one day…I’m still hoping to have a scan with a hand scanner similar to the one Dr. McCoy used on “Star Trek!” 
2 Responses to “A Shot in the Arm–Future Fix for Bones and Cartilage”
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That is Sci-Fi, isn’t it? I hope for a lot of things with stem cell research. Mostly I hope for ways to harvest stem cells from yourself or a willing donor.
Maxie