The human body has an amazing ability to repair itself. For nearly a century, doctors, scientists, and researchers believed the central nervous system, however, was unable to repair itself. Now, experts are saying that repairing nerves and nerve impulses—once unthinkable—might be possible in the near future. Each year, some 10,000 Americans receive spinal cord injuries. Scientists are hopeful that they might be able to treat this once untreatable condition. New treatments, ranging from drug therapy to tissue transplantation, have put researchers closer than ever to understanding nerve growth and repair. Briefly explain in relation to the cell cycle and G0 why it is believed that the CNS was unable to repair itself. Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a viral disease that selectively destroys the cell bodies of motor neurons in the spinal cord. What effects would you expect from this disease and what effects would you not expect? Would homeostasis still be possible? Why?
