New Finding Sparks Hope for Patients With Spinal Cord Injuries

There may be hope for people who are paralyzed due to damaged spinal cord.

There may be hope for people who are paralyzed due to damaged spinal cord after researchers at Monash University’s Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute revealed that they have discovered the secret zebra fish’s ability to regenerate its spinal cord after injury.

The researchers revealed that when spinal cord is severed in humans, the immune system activates special cells called gila to form bigger cells and block the wound site in order to prevent blood from seeping in.

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Kyphosis is a spinal disorder, which is derived from Greek word – 'kyphos' which means bowed or bent. Spinal curve of the backbone in the upper back causes bowing of the backbone. It also affects the lower back.

However this mode of protection also prevents nerve cells called axons from penetrating the wound site and thus leads to paralysis.

However while the gila cells in zebra fish performs the same function of preventing bleeding into the wound site, it allows the penetration of axons and thus regenerate the spinal cord.

Source-Medindia

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