Saturday, August 11, 2007

Stem Cell Trouble Slows Healing of Aging Muscle

(HealthDay News) -- Poor stem cell communication causes the slow, incomplete muscle healing associated with aging, a new study suggests.

Publishing in the Aug. 10 issue of the journal Science, researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine found an age-related decline in the lines of communication to the stem cells of muscles. The stem cells receive garbled messages about muscle repair, which leads to slower and poorer quality healing.

The Stanford team also identified a key player in this process, a protein called Wnt. It's believed to help in the maintenance and proliferation of stem cells in many tissues, but, in this case, Wnt appears to block proper communication to muscle stem cells.

"This was a total surprise. We had no idea that the Wnt signaling pathway would have a negative effect on stem cell function," senior author Dr. Thomas Rando, associate professor of neurology and neurological sciences, said in a prepared statement.

The finding could lead to new treatments for injuries in muscles and other tissues.
"Theoretically, given the number of ways to block Wnt and Wnt signaling, one could envision this becoming a therapeutic. You could potentially enhance the healing of aged tissues by reducing this effect of Wnt signaling on the resident stem cells," Rando said.

More information
The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia has more about age-related changes in muscle, bones and joints.

No comments:

Starter Body Cleansing Kit

Starter Body Cleansing Kit

$87.85
[ learn more ]

Add to Cart

Kit Includes: 1 Bottle of Oxy Powder®, 1 bottle of Livatrex™ and 1 bottle of Latero-Flora™.

Cleanses: One 7-Day Oxygen Colon Cleanse and One Liver & Gallbladder Cleanse. Takes 12 days to complete both cleanses.

Dr. Group's Opinion: Easy to Perform, Minimum Dietary Changes, Cost Effective.

Oxy-Powder®

Oxy-Powder®

$42.95
[ learn more ]

Add to Cart

Top Quality Colon Cleansing
Oxy-Powder® is a scientifically formulated compound that uses the power of oxygen to safely aid the body in relieving irritation associated with constipation symptoms. A clean, toxin-free intestinal tract is the foundation for maintaining optimal health. Did you know over 100 million Americans are constipated? 120 Vegetarian Capsules.