Critique of Optical Control of Muscle Function by Transplantation of Stem Cell- Derived Motor Neurons in Mice
Peripheral Nerves in the human body consist of nerves located outside the brain and spinal cord.1, 2
Nerve Damage can be responsible for over 100 peripheral nerve disorders, resulting in early symptoms such as, but are not limited to, burning, tingling, and other abnormal sensations in the hands, feet or legs.3
Damage to the Central nervous system, or Motor Neuron disease such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rapidly degenerative, and often fatal neurological disease that targets nerve cells or neurons. Those affected by this disease, lose all ability to control voluntary muscles, such as skeletal muscles, due to the degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons, which prior to complete loss of muscle control, the slowing and eventually ceasing of messages between the brain and muscles, muscle weakening occurs, resulting in twitching, difficulty swallowing or breathing, and difficultly with speech.4 It has been identified that early stages of nerve damage as a result of ALS, can often go unrecognised and undiagnosed, as nerve damage may be so minor.1
Damage to the central nervous system and Motor Neuron diseases have been affecting individuals for an extended period of time. Causes of such degenerative conditions vary extensively. Causes can include damage to motor neurons by injury from accident, or may also be hereditary. Individuals in the 21st Century suffering from such conditions can be subject to modern day medicine, which is advancing rapidly. As this disease affects individuals quality of life severely, it is a common trend in research to find a cure or at least provi...
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...ble from: http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=About_Symptoms
3. Mndaust.asn.au. MND Australia - What is MND? [Internet]. 2014 [23 April 2014]. Available from: http://www.mndaust.asn.au/Get-informed/What-is-MND.aspx
4. Ucl.ac.uk. Light-activated neurons from stem cells restore function to paralysed muscles [Internet]. 2014 [23 April 2014]. Available from: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0414/040414-Stem-cell-injections-restore-paralysed-muscles
5. Bryson J, Machado C, Crossley M, Stevenson D, Bros-Facer V, Burrone J et al. Optical Control of Muscle Function by Transplantation of Stem Cell--Derived Motor Neurons in Mice. Science. 2014;344(6179):94--97.
6. Cocksedge N. Motor Neurone Disease | Mamamia [Internet]. Mamamia. 2012 [23 April 2014]. Available from: http://www.mamamia.com.au/mamamia-cares/motor-neurone-disease-how-you-can-help/