Glossary

Allogeneic

Being derived from a genetically non-identical member of the same species.

Alzheimer's disease

The most common cause of dementia. A degenerative and terminal disease for which there is no known cure.

Cannula

A hollow tube that is used to guide the needle into the target tissue location during grafting of the cells.

Cell banking

A process for the controlled preparation of a cell therapy product, resulting in a large number of vials of frozen cells.

Cell line

Cells that can be sustained or grown in a laboratory culture medium. Cell lines may comprise a family of cells isolated from a single tissue or organ or may be clonally derived from a single ancestor cell.

Cell therapy

A process by which healthy cells are introduced into a tissue or organ to reconstruct or promote regeneration in order to treat disease.

CNS

Central Nervous System

Cortex

The outer surface of the brain referred to as the "grey matter"

Conditionally immortal stem cells

Stem cells that, through modification, are capable of dividing indefinitely in vitro to produce stem cell lines, but whose division can be fully arrested by various means, such as removal of certain constituents present in the cell culture media.

Craniostomy

Surgical procedure of drilling the skull.

Diabetes

A disease characterised by absolute or relative insulin insufficiency and high blood sugar.

Differentiation

The maturation of a stem cell into a functional cell.

FDA

Food and Drug Administration

GMP

Good Manufacturing Practice, formal standards for a facility's cleanliness, quality controls and documentation set out and regularly monitored by the regulators, "cGMP" is current Good Manufacturing Practice.

Huntington's disease

An inherited adult-onset disease of the brain characterised by dementia and involuntary movements. The disease is progressive and there is currently no known cure.

IND

An investigational new drug application filed with the FDA prior to beginning clinical trials in humans, or comparable application.

Indication

The use for which a drug or therapy is intended.

Infarct

A non-functional area due to degeneration of a tissue affected by lack of oxygen.

Islet cells

Insulin producing cells found within the pancreas.

Neural stem cells

Cells within the brain which can both make more of themselves and also mature into neurons, oligodenrocytes and glia (supporting cells).

Neurodegenerative

A varied assortment of CNS disorders characterised by gradual and progressive loss of neural tissue.

Neurons

A nervous system cell able to conduct electrical impulses.

Parkinson's disease

A progressive neurological disease of older people characterised by tremor, difficulty in movement and speech.

Peripheral Ischaemia

A condition in which reduced blood supply to the limbs causes cramping, chronic pain, and in extreme cases loss of limb.

Phase I

The assessment of the safety of a biologically active substance in volunteers.

Phenotype

The physical appearance of a cell.

Photoreceptors

A nerve ending, cell, or group of cells specialised to sense or receive light.

Regenerative medicine

A newer approach in medicine aimed at restoring function to damaged body organs and tissues.

Retinal disease

A general term which describes any damages to the light sensing membrane in the eye that can affect vision.

Stem cell

A cell that is both able to reproduce itself and, depending on its stage of development, to generate all or certain other cell types within the body or within the organ from which it is derived.

Stroke

Damage to a group of nerve cells in the brain due to interrupted blood flow, caused by a blood clot or blood vessel bursting. Depending on the area of the brain that is damaged, a stroke can cause coma, paralysis, speech problems and dementia.

Traumatic brain injury

An acute physical injury sustained to the head that disrupts brain function. Impairment may occur in one or more of the following areas: speech, memory, attention, reasoning, judgment, problem solving, motor abilities, and psychosocial behaviour.

Type 1 diabetes

A condition in which the pancreas makes so little insulin that the body cannot use blood glucose as energy. Type 1 diabetes most often occurs in people younger than age 30 and must be controlled with daily insulin injections.

Ventral mesencephalon

The surface of the small section of the brain stem linking the hindbrain to the forebrain.

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