THE DAILY YOMIURI April 2 1999
CHEMICAL MAY HELP NERVES GROW TOGETHER
Washington (Reuters)-A new technique that uses a sticky chemical and a
calcium bath may help served nerve endings grow back together, offering hope
to the paralyzed and others with nerve injuries, scientists said Thursday.
The technique has worked in a range of animals, from crayfish to guinea
pigs, the researchers said. They added that they hoped to test it soon in
people..
"This new approach can almost certainly be used to rapidly rejoin cut or
crushed axons (the part of a nerve cell through which impulses travel away
from the cell body) in humans." George Bittner of the University of Texas at
Austin, who led the research, said in a statement.
"The technique rejoin the cut or crushed ends of served central and
peripheral nerves cell so that the repaired cells again conduct electrical
signals through the severed area within seconds to minutes after they are
rejoined." he added.
Writing in the journal of Neuroscience, Bittner and colleagues said they
applied a sticky solution of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to the cut ends of
nerve axons for a minute or two. PEG often is used in medicine and keeps the
severed nerve ends together.
The researchers washed this solution off and then soaked the nerve ends in
calcium salt solutions that resemble natural body fluids.
Scientists previously thought that nerve cells could not be regrown once
they were severed, but many recent experiments have shown this is not true.
One experimental compound being used is GM-1 ganglioside, a normal part of a
cell'smembrane that helps control cell growth, development and healing
following an injury. Researchers speculated that the compound can cause
nerve endings regrow when used as a drug.