This stem cell has the ability to become any cell that constitutes the organism, which has attracted the interest of scientists and researchers who study degenerative disease. ... During the experiment, the rats were exposed to the Sindbis virus, which simulates the disease by infecting efferent neurons in the spinal cord. ... The slowly developing degenerative effects of Parkinson's disease may not be adequate to trigger the natural regeneration of the brain. ... They also found that the treated rats did not show the behavior abnormalities characteristic of Parkinson's disease. ...

• Word Count: 1123
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ... It is estimated that 128 million people suffer from diseases that could potentially be cured with stem cell research. The cost of these diseases on our health care budget is over 100 billion dollars annually. ... As in ALS, Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's are caused by nerve cell degeneration. ... Researchers believe it will be possible to cure diseases of the bone and cartilage by using stem cells to grow ...

• Word Count: 2597
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

My grandfather was a great man, but I had to watch the spark in his eyes die, as his mind crumbled and he succumbed to Alzheimer's disease. Ironically, Nathan Jay Friedman lived a healthy life, swimming nearly every day, taking vitamin supplements, washing his hands to the verge of obsession "yet died of an incurable genetic curse. ... Had he lived just a few years more, these omnipotent cells may have been able to cure his debilitating disease. ... These cells have been utilized to cure patients stricken with severe genetic disorders, and have the potential to cure many more genetic...

• Word Count: 2913
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: Undergraduate