Motor neurons, shown with their axons (nerve fibers) colored green, develop on a spinal cord organ chip built by Cedars-Sinai. (Image courtesy of Svendsen's lab at Cedars-Sinai)
Scientists have developed a portable model of the most common form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The stem cell-based “disease on a chip” could open up new frontiers in treating the progressive disorder, the researchers say.
In ALS, the cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement (motor neurons) are destroyed and die. As a result, the brain loses the ability to send signals to the muscles, leading to symptoms of muscle weakness and paralysis, as well as difficulty speaking, swallowing, and breathing.
In a study published July 3 in the journal Cell Stem Cell, the researchers presented a new model of sporadic ALS, which accounts for up to 95% of cases of the disease and occurs spontaneously without a clear genetic cause or known family history. The platform more accurately mimics the early stages of the disease compared with previous laboratory models.
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