Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Hospital for Special Surgery have discovered the stem cells—unspecialized cells that can develop into specific cell types—that give rise to the body’s tendons and ligaments, the tissues connecting muscles and bones. They also found that when these stem cells become hyperactive in the lower spine, they contribute to lumbar spinal stenosis. This condition, which impacts an estimated 103 million people worldwide, involves enlarged ligaments that can narrow the spinal canal and compress nerves, causing pain, numbness and difficulty walking.
The study, published Sept. 7 in Cell, suggests that therapeutics targeting these stem cells may lead to new treatment options for patients, including a class of drugs currently used to manage high blood pressure.
Dr. Matthew Greenblatt
