# 10

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/apr/25/stem-cell-breakthrough-leftover-veins
Maybe stem cell research is closer to a solution than critics may think. I read an article about stem cells in the science section of The Guardian. The idea is to take stem cells from a patient's veins. Research was conducted on the veins of a patient after heart surgery. In heart bypass surgery, a portion of a patient's vein is removed from their leg and transplanted where it is needed to re-route blood to and from the heart. The surgeons that remove the vein from the leg always remove more than is necessary for the procedure. The left over vein is called a dead vein. The dead, leftover vein is usually done away with by disposal. The study was published by a professor from Bristol University. The professor’s name is Paolo Madeddu. He said that they used the leftover vein to collect stem cells. The vein only contained several thousand stem cells, which is not enough to use for recovery and repair. He and his colleagues place the stem cells in special plates and grew the cells. The cells multiplied into millions. The ideal amount is fifty to sixty million stem cells. The professor was able to reach that amount and conduct an experiment for his study. He used mice his experiment. The research provided that the stem cells actually "stimulated new blood vessel growth." This study is a great advancement for stem cell research. The research on stem cells also influences medicine as the article states. If this procedure can be carried out and approved for practice, surgery for the heart may be less risky and recovery may be quicker. Maybe the study can extend past the heart. Maybe the results from this study will provoke new research for other vital organs. The experiment offers hope. It also helps establish a better argument for stem cell researchers in proving the healing abilities of stem cells.