January 4, 2005 -- In a clear indication of the potential of stem cell research, Japanese researchers used stem cells from monkey embryos to reverse some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s in adult macaque monkeys. Replacing damaged cells holds the key to many neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, Lou Gehrig’s (ALS) and Alzheimer’s, all disorders in which key cell types are destroyed. We look at what is involved in the procedure and note an interesting related development.
