Stem cells culled from bone marrow may prove beneficial in stroke recovery, scientists say. Scientists at University of California — Irvine’s Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center identified 46 studies that examined the use of mesenchymal stromal cells — a type of multipotent adult stem cells mostly processed from bone marrow — in animal models of stroke. They found MSCs to be significantly better than control therapy in 44 of the studies. The effects of these cells on functional recovery were robust regardless of the dosage, the time the MSCs were administered relative to stroke onset or the method of administration. The cells helped even if given a month after the event and whether introduced directly into the brain or injected via a blood vessel. “Stroke remains a major cause of disability, and we are encouraged that the preclinical evidence shows [MSCs’] efficacy with ischemic stroke,” said neurologist Dr Steven Cramer, clinical director of the Sue & Bill Gross S