A group of doctors from the Taipei Veterans General Hospital yesterday announced advances in stemcell research.
Urologist Lu Shing-hua (盧星華) reported his findings that muscle-derived stem cells injected into acellular biomaterial can bring about contractile activity useful in treating urinary incontinence, bladder disorders and erectile impotence.
Muscles can become loose and unable to properly regulate bodily functions. Lu said that incontinence is often a result of damaged or degenerative muscles of the urinary system. Muscle stem cells can bring about contractile activity that can counteract the damage.
"In my research, the muscle stem cells made formerly rigid acellular biomaterial resilient," Lu said.
In the past, doctors have prescribed oral medication, injections and surgery as solutions. However, Lu explained that results have not been optimal, often unable to cure symptoms completely.
Lu's research offers a new option for patients. "Without contractile activity, muscles are no good. Muscle-derived stem cells can be used to repair damaged muscles, organs and nerves," Lu said.
"In addition to injecting these stem cells in acellular biomaterial, researchers have experimented on mice. Eighty to 90 percent of the mice were effectively cured of urinary incontinence," Lu reported.
"Changes were seen in the urinary activity of the mice about four weeks after stem cells were injected," Lu said
While Lu's research focused on the uses of muscle-derived stem cells in urology, Lu said these research advances could eventually be used in other fields, including cardiology.
However, some obstacles still remain before doctors can actually begin using muscle-derived stem cells as a treatment.
"Our ultimate goal isn't to treat urinary incontinence in mice," Lu joked. He said that the next step would be to experiment on the human body but explained that the application process could be difficult.
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