Stem Cell :: Treat muscle wasting disease – muscular dystrophy

It is being reported in the Journal Nature, that stem cell injections given to dogs may hold clues to treating people with muscular dystrophy.

The Italian scientists, gave stem cells injections to dogs with the muscular disease allowing them to walk easier, leading the scientists to wonder if the same could be the case for people also.

The team is very excited about their promising research to date, and hopes to begin clinical trials on humans in a few years.

The muscular dystrophies are a group of genetic and hereditary muscle diseases; characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue. In some forms of muscular dystrophy, cardiac and smooth muscles are affected. The muscular dystrophies are the most-known hereditary diseases.

There is no known cure for muscular dystrophy. Inactivity (such as bed-rest and even sitting for long periods) can worsen the disease. Physical therapy and orthopedic instruments (e.g., wheelchairs, standing frames) may be helpful.

There is no specific treatment for any of the forms of muscular dystrophy. Physical therapy to prevent contractures (a condition in which shortened muscles around joints cause abnormal and sometimes painful positioning of the joints), orthoses (orthopedic appliances used for support) and corrective orthopedic surgery may be needed to improve the quality of life in some cases. The cardiac problems that occur with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy and myotonic muscular dystrophy may require a pacemaker. The myotonia (delayed relaxation of a muscle after a strong contraction) occurring in myotonic muscular dystrophy may be treated with medications such as quinine, phenytoin, or mexiletine.

Types of muscular dystrophy

Becker’s muscular dystrophy
Congenital muscular dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
Myoconvulsive muscular dystrophy
Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy
Sarcoglycanopathies


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