Stroke therapy using menstrual blood stem-like cells: Method

Cerebrovascular diseases are the third leading cause of death and the primary cause of longterm disability in the United States. Most patients, excluded from the available treatment with plasminogen activator (tPA), present permanent neurological impairment and may benefit from restorative treatments with stem cells. Inflammation is a key feature in stroke and it plays a dual role, either increasing injury in early phases or impairing neural survival at later stages. Stem cells can be opportunely used to modulate inflammation, abrogate cell death and, therefore, preserve neural function. To date, there is no consensus about the most adequate cell type, route of delivery or timing for transplantation, as experimental and clinical studies are still inconclusive. Menstrual blood stem cells have been recently studied for their availability, proliferative capacity, pluripotentiality and angiogenic features, which make them a relevant resource for the treatment of stroke.