Stem Cell Research Summary Article
By Lizika Marrée-Mills
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are identical cells that can characterize into specialized cell types. Most stem cells come from two main sources; embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.
1. TwoTypesofStemCells
a. Embryonic stem cells
i. These are pluripotent cells. This means their main function is to make any other cell in the body. These cells are made from ones found in early human embryos, which are called blastocysts. ii. Embryonic stem cells are used to study how blastocysts grow in adults and how they affect other cells. iii. Embryonic cells start as a mass of cells and then grow and develop. This, in humans and other mammals is the start of an embryo that later forms the
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This can help us get a better understanding of how the human body works and how to better diagnose conditions.
b. Stem cells can also be used for drug discovery which can help to identify drugs which can be used for particular diseases. Scientists can grow tissue from stem cells and then to search for new drugs. This can improve drug function or alter diseases and how these drugs might affect different organs.
c. Stem cells can be used for cell replacement. Again more scientists are exploring how stem cells generate tissue that when transplanted will take the place of tissue damaged by diseases and other things. One example of this type of transplantation is macular degeneration, which is now being tested in clinical trials.
d. Stem cells can self repair. Scientists are research ways to stimulate the self repair of stem cells. This can make the stem cells duplicate and generate to heal damaged tissue or to prevent further damage.
4. ProcessInvolvedinStemCellResearch
The process of stem cell transplantation is a long and hard one. The process of transplantation is a newly discovered one that involves bone marrow and and chemotherapy to “condition” human body and replace the damaged stem cells.
The first part of the transplant process is called conditioning. In this process the patient starts to receive chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy to damage and/or destroy the bad bone marrow in the sick person.
Once the stem cells are embedded into the patient the stem cell
Stem cells serve as the basis for new regenerative medicine. There are two types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells begin as embryos. This means that a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell creating the embryo. As the embryonic stem cells begin to develop and divide, the cells begin to accumulate in a cell culture, or colony.
Embryonic stem cells have numerous and amazing uses. Stem cells are unspecialized cells with the ability to replicate and renew themselves. They have the ability to transform into many kinds of cell types within the human body. They divide and create a new cell, having the potential to infinitely replenish cells. There are two types of stem cells: embryonic and somatic. Embryonic stem cells are from a fetus and can become all cell types in the body. Somatic stem cells are from an adult and can become only certain things due to the origin of the cells. Scientifically
Stem cells are a type of cell that basically always divide in order to replace other cells in the body. They are different from normal cells because once they have first divided into a new stem cell, they can become another type of cell, such as a muscle cell or blood cell, tissue, or they can continue being a stem cell. They also can remain inactive for a period of time, yet they can still divide into new cells whenever they are needed.
These cells can grow into many things such as organs, tissues, muscles, or blood. These cells are able to renew themselves through cell division. One of the most unique aspects to these cells are they are able to replenish and repair themselves as long as the person is alive. This can be seen most commonly in red cells of the bone marrow. These cells are continuously repairing and replacing damaged and old cells. Because of stem cells unique ability to renew themselves into new cells, scientist have shown great interest in these cells. Stem cells that are being studied most by scientist are embryotic stem cells, adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem
Background:Embryonic stem cells were discovered in 1981.Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells, derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, a hollow ball of cells. Because they are pluripotent, they can become any type of cell of the human body. It was later discovered that these types of cells could grow or form other organisms. Now scientist are making and killing unborn babies to conduct their research.
“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)
Stem cells are cells which can essentially form into any type of cell that can be found in the body. There are various types of stem cells. These include embryonic, adult, genetically reprogrammed adult stem cells, and perinatal stem cells. The most versatile, as well as controversial, type of stem cells are embryonic stem cells. These cells are found in 3-5 day old embryos which are formed through in vitro fertilization ("Stem Cell Basics" 1). While scientists have been able to reprogram adult stem cells to act as if they were embryonic, there is yet to be any conclusive evidence as to how the use of the altered cells will affect humans ("Stem cells: What they are and what they do" 1). The use of stem cells is largely focused on regenerative medicine which takes advantage of the stem cells versatility to create and replace damaged tissues in
Because of stem cells regenerative qualities, many scientists hypothesize that eventually we can use stem cells on a large scale to assist us to regenerate damaged tissue within the body especially when transitioning organ donations, or prosthetics into an individual, ultimately making it a safer practice.
They have the ability to self-renew or multiply while maintaining the potential to develop into cells. Such as cells blood, heart, bones, skin, muscles, brain etc. Stem cells have an interesting history that has been somewhat tainted with debate and controversy. In the mid-1800s it was discovered that cells were basically the building blocks of life and that some cells had the ability to produce other cells.
Today, what I would like to talk about is stem cells, which is a kind of the most important cells because it is a foundation for the development and growth of other lots of different cell types. There are many other tissues they are working with internal repair system and they also can divide necessarily for supplement to other cells if they are still alive. But, the condition is different of stem cell, which has two major functions compare with other cell types, remaining a stem cell continually or transforming to other cells that have specialized functions like bone marrow cells, and they can divide and renew by themselves for a long time. Today, there are two main stem cells are used by scientists with many different ways: embryonic stem
In addition to research, these types of stem cells are used to restore and repair damaged tissue in all kinds of diseases. Embryonic stem cells are so useful because they have pluripotency, which means that they can differentiate into any human cell type. The cell types that they are commonly induced in are brain, heart, liver and insulin pumping beta cells that are similar to the pancreas. Since these embryonic stem cells can be differentiated into so many types of cells, they are able to treat diseases like: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes and many more.
B. Transplanting damaged organs. Stem cells are very important in this process, because from your own cells scientists can develop organs. And if you will need any transplant this organs can be used at any time and have no risk that your organism might reject them. The first successful transplant from this technique of “growing your own organs” took place in Barcelona, Spain 2008, and this was a 30-year old woman from Colombia, who replaced her windpipe because of tuberculosis.
Stem cells are special cells that have the ability to regenerate and repair damaged tissue. Embryonic stem cells appear to possess the ability to become almost any tissue within the body. This, in theory, means that a cell could be taken from one section of an embryo that may have become a part
Through the use of stem cells, a variety of different methods can be used to replace damaged cells in the human body with healthy ones. The first of these strategies is direct implantation of the cells. Stem cells can be injected straight into the organ that is affected or into the veins. This allows the stem cells to target the malfunctioning organ through the cytokines and chemokines it releases. Another strategy takes on a transplantation approach. That is, that the stem cells are specialized and harvested outside of the body before they are injected, or transplanted, into the diseased organ. Lastly, growth factors and drugs can be prescribed to
Stem cells are cells that are found throughout the human body. They reproduce over a long period of time without changing. Stem cells can produce specialized cells, such as brain, muscle or lung cells. Stem cells in the last few years have recently made a big debut because medical professionals have discovered so many unique qualities to stem cells. They are on the cutting edge of medicine because of all their uses and the qualities that make them so unique from any other cell in the body. Stem cells have the power to make so many breakthroughs in the medical world. Medical researchers have all ready found so many ways that stem cells can be used for the better of so many people. Genes play an important role in determining what genetic traits or mutations we receive. Researching stem cells can help determine this. Stem cell research is useful for learning many things about human development and about how the body has the power to repair itself. Researchers are finding new ways each day that stem cells can be used and the possibilities that they find for stem cells could be endless. A few ways they can be used to treat diseases, be used as graphs for burn victims or surgical use, and even to correct birth defects. The pros of stem cells are limitless.