“Scientists have reversed paralysis in dogs after injecting them with cells grown from the lining of their nose.”
For the longest time, nerve damage and spinal injury has been one of the last frontiers in veterinary and human medicine. Damage to nerves has generally been considered to be irreversible and permanent. That may be about to change, if researchers at at the Medical Research Council and Cambridge Veterinary School are on the right track. Cells from the nasal cavities of dogs, called ‘olfactory ensheathing cells’ were removed, grown, and expanded in laboratory, before being transplanted into the injury site.
This is *not* a cure – but many of the treated pets showed improvement. Good luck to MRC and Cambridge Vet School – we look forward to hearing more about these exciting developments!