Stem Cell Advancements Essay

The goal of this process is strictly to harvest stem cells, resulting in the creation of “cloned organs”, which can be used to treat heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.

Tissue engineering is an emerging interdisciplinary field that uses principles from engineering, biology and chemistry in an effort towards tissue regeneration. The main draw of tissue engineering is the regeneration of a patient’s own tissues and organs free from low biofunctionality and poor biocompatibility and serious immune rejection. As medical care continues to improve and life expectancy continues to grow, organ shortages become more problematic.(Manufacturing living things) According to organdonor.gov, a patient is added to the waiting list every 10 minutes and an average of 18 people die everyday waiting for an organ donation. The “nirvana” of tissue engineering is to replace the need for organ donation altogether. This could be achieved using scaffolding from

With the latest medical advances in processing, preserving and storing, organs and tissues can be maintained for a much longer period. In addition to this, work on xenotransplantation ( animal to human transplantation) and stem cell research shows promising results in the near future. Regardless of all this, the gap between demand and supply is continuously widening with a patient being added to the waiting list every ten

In the past two decades, many technological and scientific advances have been made in order to make life easier for many people who suffer from cancer, disease and sickness. Among these advances there is something revolutionary called stem cells. Stem cells can help restore and regenerate almost all parts of the human body such as the heart, kidney, liver, and many other organs. Although stem cells offer a lot, there are many views against and for stem cells, and among these views lies the debate of whether stem cells should be legalized or not (NIH 2). Stem cells offer exciting new opportunities in the field of science such as regenerating human body parts, but many people are still debating whether or not the use of stem cells is

Many, as of currently incurable diseases plague the Earth. Thanks to technological advancements and better understandings of cells, scientists believe that it may be possible to cure diseases by the use of embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are cells obtained from an embryo when they are only a few days old. Because they have only begun to differentiate, these cells have the capability of developing into any cell in the human body, and that's why they can be used for the progression of medicine. Scientists hope to cure some diseases but if that isn't possible they at least hope to create treatments using them.

this research would be to identify the factors that are involved in the cell making process that determines cell specialization. A few of our extreme medical conditions, like birth defects and cancer, are a direct result of abnormal cell specialization. If researchers obtain a better understanding of the normal cellular process, they can isolate the causes of these deadly illnesses. The most exciting potential use for stem cells is the generation of tissues and cells. Many diseases are a direct result from complications of cellular functions or destruction of tissues in the body. Many people donate organs and tissues to replace failing or destroyed tissues. Unfortunately, there are many more people suffering from these disorders than there are organs to transplant. That is where stem cells step in. They will give humans a chance to have a renewable source of cells and tissues that will treat a slue of diseases, and disabilities such as, Parkinson’s, stroke, burns, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injury, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and

Adult stem cells have already proven to be successful in treating diseases and have helped hundreds of thousands of patients, and new clinical uses expand almost weekly. Adult stem cells can be obtained from cord blood, fat, neural tissue, muscle, bone marrow, placental and skin cells. Adult stem cells are increasingly being shown to have a similar and perhaps an identical capacity to become cells of other types. There is a possibility that adult stem cells may function more efficiently and more safely than embryonic cells. Treena Arinzeh, a young professor who last year won a Presidential Award, the nation's highest scientific honor, is bringing the promise of stem cell research one step closer to reality. Adult stem cells also have a unique trait that lends them their magic: Under the right conditions, or given the proper signals, they have the ability to turn into different cell types. Arinzeh is doing exactly that: developing signals, in the form of biomaterials, that will help adult stem cells turn into cells that, if injected into a diseased area of the human body, could regenerate damaged tissue. Her research has also led to two major stem-cell discoveries: One showing that stem cells, when mixed with biomaterials known as scaffolds, can help regenerate bone growth; and another proving that stem cells taken from one person can be successfully implanted into another. A list of conditions for which stem-cell treatment holds promise grows almost daily: It now

When a patient is faced with a terminal illness or is told that they will never walk again, it may be difficult to find hope of any kind. Stem Cells provide a faint glimmer of hope, with all the amazing things they, in theory, are able to do and cure. What kind of stem cells are we talking about though? Embryonic, Adult, or Cord Blood? All these possess the ability to replicate themselves as well as become any type of cell (Harvard Gazette). As with any incredible feat there is more often than not a “catch.” Many questions arise when we think about the sacrifices, risks and benefits. It is a matter of where we owe our obligations, to the embryo or to the thousands of people who are suffering and dying with incurable diseases. A diverse

Even though many people are unsure about stem cell use, research shows that stem cells are able to help people. Around 50,000 adult stem cell transplants happen around the world each year (“Rethinking Stem Cells” ). Imagine a world with no sickness or no cancer but also if that means killing embryos. If research keeps happening, stem cells may have the answers to many questions for great

In the United States, 122,737 patients are on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) list that are in need of lifesaving organs. With the current UNOS system, nearly 3,300 patients are expiring every year waiting for kidney transplants, let alone the other organs needed (Foundation, 2014). The length of time and money the process takes to procure an organ from a cadaver could be nearly done away with using bioengineered organs rather than procurement. Forms of Bioengineering are done with the use of matrices alone in which the body’s natural regenerative properties correct the issue, or using matrices embedded with undifferentiated cells. With the use of Bioengineering organs of one’s own, stem cell onto matrices could reduce or eliminate the use of immunosuppressant. Bioengineering organs can change the health care by reducing the cost of care, shortening the wait for transplantation, and extending the life of the recipient. Results Many of the patients with end-stage organ failure were going untreated or minimal treatment due to the lack of insurance. In 2010 that changed when President Obama signed the health care reform act, which is expanding coverages and limiting the growth in health care cost while reforming the delivery and insurance system. Prior to the Health Care Reform Act, individuals, that had an illness could not change jobs due the fact of being ineligible for

Being one of the most exciting and promising fields of medical research, embryonic stem cell research has progressed over the years going more in depth to discover the key to unlock the cure to many diseases. These unique individuals have the ability to copy themselves an unlimited amount of times and can grow into any cell type in the body. Scientists are seeing infinite value in these cells. They are able to further their research on the understanding of human development and how they can help treat many diseases. These embryonic stem cells give hope for medical advancement having the ability to grow into many different cells and can replace damaged or dead ones, producing new organs in the process. These cells have the ability to prevent or reduce the suffering of many people with many fatal diseases. Continuing stem cell research can further eradicate life-threatening diseases, introduce new medical knowledge, and help improve the health and appearance of burn victims.

 Many transplant candidates die while waiting for an organ, whether it be a heart, lung, kidney or liver.  Yes, it is true that thousands of people are saved each year by organ transplantation, yet even more die each year waiting while their organs shut down.  "In perhaps the most dramatic example, the American Heart Association reports that only 2,300 of 40,000 Americans who needed a new heart in 1997 got one." (Mikos and Mooney 2).  The new strategy which seems promising is the development of what Dr. David J. Mooney of the University of Michigan and Dr. Antonios G. Mikos of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston call "neo-organs." (3).  In one aspiring procedure, the patient receives cells that have been harvested previously and comprised into 3-dimensional molds of biodegradable polymers, such as those used to make dissolvable

The society has evolved over the decades. Medical advances, greater technologies, better understanding of the world around us, the sky is the limit! The progression of a society is astounding from where it was just twenty years ago. One is able to do things that the forefathers would have never dreamed! Science has discovered ways to travel to the moon and back, reach some of the deepest depths of the oceans and discover new species, and drive hybrid cars. The achievements of today’s society have reached a new high; however, with great achievement comes great questions of ethics.

“Through the isolation and manipulation of cells, scientists are finding ways to identify young, regenerating ones that can be used to replace damaged of dead cells in diseased organs. This therapy is similar to the process of organ transplant, only the treatment consists of the transplantation of cells rather than organs. The cells that have shown by far the most promise of supplying diseased organs with healthy cells are called stem cells.” (Chapter Preface)

By combining this technology with human cloning technology it may be possible to produce needed tissue for suffering people that will be free of rejection by their immune systems. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart failure, and other problems may be made curable by human cloning. (“Cloning to Save Lives”)