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Hiv Benefits

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How do stem cells and HIV patients benefit each other? In the early stages of development in a mother's womb, humans begin as an embryo-an unborn child growing. Many people believe that as an early stage embryo there is not much that it can do. However, embryonic stem cells are derived from these early stage embryos and provide differentiating abilities that can help life threatened, diseased patients. One of the more popular diseases include human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV. HIV is a lentivirus that causes an infection, and eventually over time develops into AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Though HIV and AIDS are related, there are many differences between the two. HIV is a virus that causes AIDS if left untreated. …show more content…

Unlike embryonic stem cells that are pluripotent, mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent, which means they are able to give rise to other cells, but are limited in their ability to differentiate. Though they are limited, they have “[...] demonstrated the great potential [...] for the prevention and treatment of steroid-resistant acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), immune-related disorders, and viral diseases” (Thanunchai, et al). Because of their great potential, MSCs can be used to treat viral diseases such as HIV. However, what comes with HIV are their side effects and the infections that it may cause. One of the most damaging effects of HIV is the risk of bone loss, osteoporosis. However “[...] PI-treated MSCs had a reduced proliferative capacity that worsened with increasing passages” (Hernandez-Vallejo, et al). Using MSCs as treatment for this risk has lowered the ability of osteoporosis to continue to grow and multiply in a patient who has HIV. Using these stem cells not only helps osteoporosis, but also organs in the body. Mesenchymal stem cells “[...] have been shown to increase intestinal barrier function, thus the transfused cells are likely to reduce microbial translocation in HIV-infected patients” (Allam, et al). MSCs has provided aid in not only treating aspects of HIV, but the conditions that may arise from it as well. They have helped patients …show more content…

They include an extensive range of undifferentiated cells that provide vital functions to treat infected patients. These undifferentiated cells can give rise to many cell lineages; these lineages can be later reprogrammed to become HIV resistance or used help introduce a gene of interest that produces helper T-cells to fight off foreign pathogens and build a patient’s immune system. Many drugs that are used to treat HIV today, may not treat HIV in an effective way; a donor may not always be a match. These stem cells are the ideal therapy for these types of diseases, and provide a patient-specific treatment that unlike drugs, do not. These stem cells, embryonic, hematopoietic, mesenchymal, and induced pluripotent, have transformed the field of research and medicine, providing new applications to the world of biotechnology and science to

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