Stem cell therapy: a clinical trial of stroke.

Background: The alarming disability burden and a high prevalence rate of stroke in India has encouraged the researchers to develop regenerative therapies to reduce clinical deficits. This study evaluates safety, feasibility and efficacy of autologous mononuclear and mesenchymal cell transplantation in stroke patients evaluated on clinical scores and functional imaging (fMRI and DTI).

Methods: Forty (n=40) stroke patients were recruited with the inclusion criteria as: 3 months to 2 years of index event, power of hand muscles of at least 2; Brunnstrom stage: 2-5; conscious and comprehendible.

TGFβ1 contributes to cardiomyogenic-like differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: The majority of the protocols for cardiomyocyte differentiation of MSC use 5-azacytidine as an inducer. As transforming growth factor β1 and 5-azacytidine share similar target signaling pathways, we examined whether transforming growth factor β1 can play a role in cardiac differentiation process in human mesenchymal stem cell of bone marrow origin.

Methods: The differentiation protocol involving transforming growth factor β1 was compared with that of 5-azacytidine in these cells.

Autologous mesenchymal stem cells in chronic stroke.

Background: Cell transplantation is a 'hype and hope' in the current scenario. It is in the early stage of development with promises to restore function in chronic diseases. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation in stroke patients has shown significant improvement by reducing clinical and functional deficits.