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Blood cells from human umbilical cords could help restore the function of nerve cells after a stroke, new research from Saint Louis University indicates.

Yi Pan, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at Saint Louis University and principle investigator of a stroke in rats study, will present findings at the American Academy of Neurology meeting on April 1.

Dr. Pan and her team injected cultured cells from human umbilical cord blood into the internal carotid artery of rats immediately after a stroke. The treatment improved sensorimotor function.

"While we have a lot of work to do to go from a rat stroke model to treating patients, we are encouraged that human umbilical cell therapy may provide a potential source for restoration of neuronal function after a stroke," Dr. Pan said.

The research was sponsored by a seed grant from Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Alma Bicknese, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at Saint Louis University, and Michael Panneton, Ph.D., professor of anatomy and neurobiology, were co-investigators.

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first M.D. degree west of the Mississippi River. Saint Louis University School of Medicine is a pioneer in geriatric medicine, organ transplantation, chronic disease prevention, cardiovascular disease, neurosciences and vaccine research, among others. The School of Medicine trains physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health services on a local, national and international level.