Newly discovered stem cell reveals potential drug target for spinal stenosis
Researchers have identified specific stem cells responsible for tendon and ligament growth, which also contribute to lumbar spinal stenosis when hyperactive. This discovery could lead to non-surgical treatments using existing blood pressure medications.
Why it matters
This breakthrough offers a potential medical alternative to surgery for millions of people suffering from chronic spinal pain.
edited by Swati Mestri , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source An image of the Achilles tendon in mice where a new tool marks the tendon stem cell and its daughter cells in green and all other cells in red. Credit: Greenblatt Lab Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Hospital for Special Surgery have discovered the unspecialized stem cells that give rise to the body's tendons and ligaments, the tissues connecting muscles and bones.
They also found that when these stem cells become hyperactive in the lower spine, they contribute to lumbar spinal stenosis. This condition, which affects an estimated 103 million people worldwide, involves enlarged ligaments that can narrow the spinal canal and compress nerves, causing pain, numbness and difficulty walking.
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