A spinal cord injury is extremely medically complex and involves a number of multifaceted structural changes. This complexity lends itself particularly well to stem cell therapies, an emerging body of knowledge that may provide healing on multiple levels.
Unique in their ability to renew themselves after inactivity, and to develop into specialized types of tissue, stem cells can renew tissue destroyed by injury or disease. Stem cell therapy may thus be able to reproduce the nerve cells that die as a result of spinal cord injury, while also generating new cells that can develop into the insulating myelin sheath and encourage the re-growth of new nerve pathways.
At the same time, stem cells can protect the injury site by releasing growth factors and absorbing toxins, while also reducing inflammation. Research initiatives are currently underway to further examine how stem cells can help patients with spinal cord injuries, and how medical science can best introduce such therapies to achieve maximum effectiveness.
About the author
Jonathan Komar, MD has cared for patients as a partner in Arizona’s Southwest Spine and Sports in Scottsdale, Arizona, since 2003. Dedicated to continuously advancing his professional knowledge, Jonathan Komar, MD enjoys learning about stem cell treatments for spinal cord injuries.
Jonathan Komar, MD 
