A Japanese person who was paralyzed from below neck for years is capable of standing again on his own. A first-type clinical trial used Reprogramd Stem Cells to treat those who are paralyzed. The Japanese man was one of the four persons who were part of the clinical trial.

The paralyzed man was given an injection of nerve stem cells to treat his spinal cord injury. Another person can now carry his hands and feet after treatment, but two other people did not show enough improvement.

The test was conducted by a Stem-cell scientist at KO University, Tokyo, and his colleagues.

The results of the clinical testing were announced at a press conference on 21 March and the colleague has not yet been reviewed. However, researchers have said that according to Journal Nature, treatment is safe.

Scientists have said that while treatment has worked for two individuals, large clinical trials are required to install the reforms seen in them, due to treatment or natural recovery.

Stem cells are special cells in the body that can turn into a variety of cells, such as skin, muscle or blood cells.

Reprogramd stem cells are normal body cells that change scientists back into stem cells. This helps to create new cells for research and treatment without the need of the fetus.

In studies, scientists regularly found a way to convert body cells into special stem cells, which are called induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cells, which can turn into a variety of cells.

They took IPS cells from a donor and converted them into nerve cells of the initial stage. Then, they injected into the damaged area of ​​the spine of two million of these cells, expecting them to grow in healthy nerve cells.

Surgery occurred between 2021 and 2023 on four adults, of two of which were over 60 years of age.

To prevent your body from rejecting cells, patients took immune-drug drug for six months.

A year later, researchers did not find any serious side effects.

Two patients did not show major improvements, but one achieved some movement in his arms and legs, while the other was able to stand on his own and is now training to walk.

This study is a small step towards proving the effectiveness of treatment. Large tests are required to confirm the results.

Researchers also want to understand how many of transplanted cells survive, many die immediately after surgery.

However, Okano stated that imaging studies by their four IPS-cell recipients suggest that some of the transplanted cells survive.