[Bone marrow stromal cells. An alternative source of restorative therapy in degenerative diseases of the central...

The aim of this study is to describe the capacity of bone marrow cells to limit or slow down the damage and chronic neuronal degeneration produced by degenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), as well as the potential capacity of the method to provide other substances or genetic material.

The search for new sources of cells that maintain the ability to divide and distinguish themselves from different cellular phenotypes opens up huge new opportunities in the restorative therapy of these clinical entities. Bone marrow cells, and especially stromal stem cells, have been seen to conserve a high capacity to distinguish and originate different strains of characteristic brain cells (neurons, astrocytes, and glial cells), and also the capacity to restore the population of stem cells when they are stimulated in a suitable fashion.

Future experimental studies will be aimed at searching for new ways to enhance the composition, viability and differentiation of the cells to be implanted and will evaluate their effects on diseases of the CNS.