高齢マウスの筋幹細胞を若返らせることで、筋肉の成長が促進され、損傷後の回復力が向上することが研究で明らかになった。この手法は将来、高齢者が筋力や運動機能を取り戻す助けになる可能性がある。実験では、脚の機能や組織修復において明確な改善効果が示された。
デューク大学の研究チームは、高齢マウスから筋幹細胞を採取し、特定の脂質を加えて実験室で培養した後、損傷した他の高齢マウスの筋肉に注入した。その結果、処理された細胞から生成された新しい筋繊維は、未処理の細胞から生成されたものよりも45％大きく、マウスは数日以内にトレッドミルや運動機能テストで良好なパフォーマンスを示した。
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Northwestern University researchers say they developed an advanced lab-grown human spinal cord organoid model that reproduces key features of traumatic injury—such as inflammation and glial scarring—and that an experimental “dancing molecules” therapy reduced scar-like tissue and promoted nerve-fiber growth in the model.
Researchers at UCLA have identified a protein that slows muscle repair in aging but enhances cell survival in mice. Blocking the protein improved healing speed in older mice, though it reduced long-term stem cell resilience. The findings suggest aging involves survival strategies rather than mere decline.
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An experimental therapy using stem cells from young donors has shown promise in improving mobility for frail older people. In a trial involving 148 participants, infusions of laromestrocel led to significant gains in walking distance. Researchers highlight its potential to address biological roots of frailty.
A 20-year experiment cloning mice has revealed that clones develop significantly more genetic mutations than naturally reproduced mice, accumulating to fatal levels after multiple generations. Researchers led by Teruhiko Wakayama at Yamanashi University in Japan found over 70 mutations per clone generation on average, three times higher than in controls. The findings, published in Nature Communications, raise concerns for applications in farming, conservation and de-extinction efforts.
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A team led by Leonardo Ferreira at the Medical University of South Carolina is developing a novel therapy combining lab-made insulin-producing cells with engineered immune cells to protect them. Funded by $1 million from Breakthrough T1D, the approach aims to restore beta cell function without immunosuppressive drugs. This strategy builds on prior research and targets all stages of the disease.