Imagine this… Multiple sclerosis patient donates their own skin cells, these cells are induced into becoming oligodendrocytes or myelin-forming cells and are reintroduced into the nervous system to potential heal and maybe even cure the disease. I’ll save all of the nitty-gritty scientific terms and try to put it in a nutshell. New studies are being conducted by the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute that are showing promise in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis. These healthy myelin-forming cells can then replace the damaged cells in the brain.

Susan L. Solomon, NYSCF Chief Executive Officer states, “We are so close to finding new treatments and even cures for MS. The enhanced ability to derive the cells implicated in the disease will undoubtedly accelerate research for MS and many other diseases.”

For more further reading, check in on ScienceDaily “Cell therapy for multiple sclerosis patients: Closer than ever?” at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140724182929.htm.  Image from: www.studyblue.com.