BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : DECEMBER 11, 2000 ISSUE
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY It's Back-Mending Work The spinal cord consists of long nerve cells called axons, surrounded by protective vertebrae. Axons carry signals back and forth from the brain, controlling the body's movements. If these axons are crushed or severed, paralysis results. Scientists are working on three potential treatments: REGROWING Researchers have discovered the chemical signals that block the regrowth of damaged axons. Antibodies to these ''stop'' signals have been developed. REPLACING Scientists are hopeful that stem cells, the precursor cells that give rise to all others, will turn into new nerve cells when injected into damaged spines. RETRAINING Axons have some ability to make decisions without instructions from the brain. So, scientists hope that repeated exercises can retrain undamaged nerve cells to take over the functions of the damaged ones. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _					RELATED ITEMS Rebuilding the Spinal Cord TABLE: It's Back-Mending Work INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online

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