CHICAGO, Aug 16, 2001 (LSN.ca) – While the proponents of embryonic stem cell research lay empty promises about cures from their unethically derived stem cells, another landmark in the advancement of adult stem cell research has been reached. Reuters reports that adult stem cells extracted from the blood of two Crohn's patients have been used to rebuild their faulty immune systems.
Doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago announced August 9 that a 22-year-old female Crohn's patient, whose white blood cells were attacking her digestive system, was doing ''phenomenally well'' 2-1/2 months after undergoing the procedure. Immunologist Richard Burt of Northwestern, who performed the procedure on the Crohn's patients, said “This is a patient who had bloody, watery diarrhea about 10 times a day for nine years, with a lot of abdominal pain. Since the procedure, she has had no diarrhea, is eating and is in no pain.” The procedure was repeated with a second Crohn's patient, a 16-year-old boy earlier this month.
According to Reuters, the process involves destroying the patient's defective immune system with chemotherapy and a protein that drives down the number of infection-fighting white blood cells. A growth factor is introduced to stimulate the bone marrow to produce stem cells, which are then harvested from the bloodstream. Finally, the stem cells are injected into a central vein, either in the neck or arm. The whole process, including recovery, takes three weeks.