UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a form of stem cell found in bone marrow and can help aid with neurological damages. Not much is known about it in terms of risks but it has been found to renew damaged cells by replacing them with new ones in both central and peripheral nervous systems. Studies have been conducted on rats that have suffered cerebral ischemia which is lack of blood flow to the brain. Only those that contained a high rating of cerebral ischemia such as being brain dead were excluded in the experiment to ensure proper results. It was found that rats with the disease that suffered minor damages were able to repair their neurons with MSCs therapy. Rats that were not brain dead but suffered extreme brain damage unfortunately were not able to properly regenerate neurological damage done. MSCs contain potential in becoming a beneficial and new form of regenerative medicine to help aid with neurological damage caused by diseases.