UCI:

A new study from UC Irvine suggests that human embryonic stem cells could improve healthy tissue damaged during radiation treatment for brain tumors.

Researchers treated rats with radiation, then transplanted stem cells into some of them.

They found that the rats that received the stem cells had their learning and memory restored to normal levels within four months after receiving radiotherapy.

The rats that didn’t receive stem cells saw a greater than 50% drop in brain function.

“Our findings provide the first evidence that such cells can be used to ameliorate radiation-induced damage of healthy tissue in the brain,” said Charles Limoli, UCI radiation oncology associate professor and study senior author.

— Candice Baker