Another Adult Stem Cell Breakthrough

Although adult stem cell research continues to produce concrete therapeutic applications and has shown feasibility in the treatment of many major diseases, media attention has been dismal. Instead, overtly positive articles focus on embryonic stem cell research, which requires the destruction of a human life.

The most recent adult stem cell success story is a breakthrough by scientists at Australia's Griffith University which is so significant that it could render the debate over embryonic stem cell research "moot". Newsmax reports (HT: The Black Kettle):

The results of the four-year research project showed that olfactory stem cells can be turned into heart cells, brain cells, nerve cells – indeed, almost any kind of cell in the body – without the problems of rejection or tumors forming, a common side effect with embryonic stem cells.

"Our experiments have shown adult stem cells isolated from the olfactory mucosa have the ability to develop into many different cell types if they are given the right chemical or cellular environment," research team leader Alan Mackay-Sim told the paper.

Mackay-Sim's team of scientists managed to grow nerve cells, glial cells, liver cells, heart cells and muscle cells from cells harvested from the human nose.

The breakthrough, first announced two months ago, has been largely ignored by the U.S. media, which has focused on embryonic stem cell research as the only option to cure debilitating ailments like Hodgkin's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.