Iranian Scientists Use Stem Cells to Treat Spinal Cord Injury

“In this project, we studied the combined effect of stem cells of the nervous system and drug ibrutinib (targeted drug for cancer treatment) to regenerate nerve tissue and recovery of motor function in a mouse with spinal cord injury,” Somayyeh Torabi, a researcher of the project, told ANA.

“In this research, we used the 14-day-old mouse embryo’s stem cells; a region of the brain of this mouse is rich in stem cells, and these cells are easily harvested and extracted,” she added.

“After we extracted stem cells from these embryos, we cultured them. To do this, we did initial cultivation. Finally, after 6-7 days, the cells started multiplying, and after a month, we transplanted these cells into the spinal cord lesion models,” Torabi said.

Noting that these cells were used for adult mice in which they created a spinal cord lesion, she explained, “We injected these cells in the area where the lesion was created. Then we monitored and observed the animals for a month. We tested their sensory, motor and balance performance. At the end of the month, we checked their tissue repair.”

“In this project, we measured the size of the lesions and the behavior of the transplanted cells in different groups, because along with the cell transplant, we also used an anti-inflammatory drug of the immune system. We also investigated this issue to observe the behavior of the transplanted cells in the target tissue - which had received drugs or not -. Finally, we obtained an acceptable result of the survival and fate of the cells,” Torabi said.

In a relevant breakthrough last year, Iranian researchers at Amirkabir University of Technology had also succeeded in estimating the kinematics of the elbow joint with the aim of enabling patients with 6C5/C level spinal cord injury to perform ADL movements (doing daily tasks) by using the simultaneous processing of EEG and EMG signals.

“This research was carried out with the aim of empowering patients with spinal cord injuries of level 6/C5C. By recording and processing the brain signals (EEG) and the electrical activity of healthy muscles (EMG), the voluntary movement information of the person is estimated. By using this information and artificial intelligence, voluntary movements are known and by stimulating the defective muscle, movements like drinking water, answering the phone, moving objects and pouring water from a pitcher can be done,” said Mahdiyeh Khaliq Fard, a student of Amirkabir University of Technology.

Elaborating on the results of this project, she noted, “Reconstruction of three-dimensional paths in daily life activities using vital EEG and EMG signals improves the practical development of mobility aids for patients.”

Khaliq Fard stated that the basic limitations like atrophy or early fatigue of muscles, using only the EMG signal of people with mobility disabilities has been a challenge, adding, “Low accuracy, low data transfer rate and the need for high individual attention are among the limitations of using only the EEG signal.”

“Therefore, with the proper use of a combination of these vital signals with the aim of reducing the limitations, it is a new approach that requires a selection of a combined structure,” Khaliq Fard said.

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