Washington, April 7 (ANI): Researchers at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and New York-based NeoStem Inc. are all set for the first known human trial to use embryonic-like stem cells collected from adult cells to grow bone.

The cells technology, called VSEL stem cells, or very small embryonic-like stem cells, are derived from adults-not fetuses. This eliminates ethical arguments and potential side effects associated with using actual embryonic stem cells derived from a fetus, according to researchers at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and New York-based NeoStem Inc.

The research partners hypothesize that the VSEL stem cells, which mimic properties of embryonic stem cells, can provide a minimally invasive way to speed painful bone regeneration for dental patients and others with bone trauma.

U-M&s role in the study involves design, patient care and data analysis, while NeoStem provides the cells and patented technology to purify the special stem cells.

Study leaders include Russell Taichman, U-M professor of Laurie McCauley, professor and newly named dean of the U-M Dental and Denis Rodgerson, director of grants and academic liaisons for NeoStem. U-M&s work will take place at the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research and the U-M Health System.

&Within a year, researchers hope to begin recruiting roughly 50 patients who need a tooth extraction and a dental implant,& Taichman said.

Before extracting the tooth, U-M researchers harvest the patient&s cells, and then NeoStem&s VSEL technology is used to purify and isolate those VSEL stem cells from the patient&s other cells.

This allows U-M researchers to implant pure populations of the VSEL stem cells back into test patients. Control patients receive their own cells, not the VSELs. After the new bone grows, researchers remove a small portion of it to analyze, and replace it with an implant.

&We&re taking advantage of the time between extraction and implant to see if these cells will expedite healing time and produce better quality bone,& Taichman said.

&They are natural cells that are already in your body, but NeoStem&s technology concentrates them so that we can place a higher quantity of them onto the wound site,& he added.

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Embryonic-like stem cells collected from adults to grow bone – Stem ...