The Methods Of Controlling The Formation Of Beta-Amyloid Plaques

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.

The disease stem cells could fix is called Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The reason I chose this topic is because I have seen first hand how badly someone who suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease is affected in their daily lives. This disease completely takes over their lives and they turn into a completely different person who can hardly function. AD is very tough on the loved ones of the person suffering from it because that person, most of the time has no idea what is going on or who their loved ones are. The memories for people with AD is completely gone and even the simplest tasks such as remembering to use the bathroom becomes difficult. The way stem cells could be feasible is because stem cell-based therapies could potentially treat

Lawrence, J., (2015) Potential dementia treatment target identified using stem cell research. The Pharmaceutical Journal. 2/1/2015. Retrieved 13/5/2015 from

There are many different types of stem-cells which can be implanted in patients to regenerate or replace the damaged or abnormal cells caused by not only diseases like Parkinson's but also Alzheimer's and spinal cord injuries (2). A specific example in relation to Parkinson's is the harvesting of embryonic stem cells. These human embryonic stem cells can be transplanted into the brain to replace and create dopamine neurons. The controversy is in how one can obtain these stem cells. During fertilization, in humans, the embryo is hollow and contains cells that eventually develop into a fetus (1). Researchers have discovered, as recently as 1998, that the cells in the embryo contain all

The 2000’s was a decade of remarkable advances. Embryonic Stem Cells have the ability to turn into any type of cell and multiply and have the potential to cure Alzheimer 's disease,

. Embryonic stem cells have been identified by scientist as a type of stem cell that can advance regenerative medicine. The potential of regenerative medicine ranges from allowing pancreatic cells to produce insulin for diabetics to reconnecting the nerves in severed spinal cords. However, the greatest potential embryonic stem cells presents are its ability to change into any of the more than 200 different cell types in the body. This ability to change into any cell type can produce cures for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or any of the other conditions that stem cell therapy might help therefore improving the lives of those who live with these

The creation of induced pluripotent stem cells by direct reprogramming has allowed for the circumvention of using embryonic stem cells while still leaving the cells with the ability to maintain pluripotency. Instead of ES cells which were originally derived from the epiblast of mouse embryos, IPS cells were generated from mouse embryonic fibroblasts. This eliminated both any ethical concerns for whether those cells were a living being or not and the need to destroy embryos at the blastocyst stage. An advantage of IPS cells is that they are derived from human somatic cells which makes them easy to acquire due to the possibility of using skin or blood cells. They can also be grown and differentiated individually for each person that the sample of somatic cells is taken from which eliminates the possibility of having any immune reaction and rejection to the differentiated cells during transplantation. These characteristics of IPS cells are important because they are what enables us to safely and accurately transform these affected cells from patients cells into neurons and confidently study them.

Diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are caused by dopamine levels in the brain being very low or not existent at all. With stem cell research, researchers can help regrow new and healthy brain cells to help address complications with these diseases. Stem cells can also help with neurological complications and replace spinal cord neurons.

In 1970, Evelyn Stone was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. However, her husband, Jerome Stone, already knew that something was wrong years before the actual diagnosis. Jerome H. Stone originally grew up to be a businessman, “helping to build the multi-billion dollar Stone Container Corporation,” (Santos) which was his family’s business. As a member of the executive committee of the business, Stone “had the ability to pull people together to coalesce things,” (Megan) and did exactly that in 1979 when he brought together families concerned about Alzheimer’s. “Astonished at how little was known about Alzheimer’s,” (Megan) Jerome Stone created the non-profit organization known as the Alzheimer’s Association just one year after meeting with the families, on April 10, 1980. 36 years later, the non-profit continues to thrive, arguably as the top organization in advancing the care for Alzheimer’s, as it has been able to raise large sums of money through donors and accomplish goals through United States federal legislation.

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a form of dementia that affects 5 million people in the United States alone. One out of every three Seniors die of the disease just in the United States; 80 million suffering world wide making AD the 6th largest cause of death (climax) (Humpel 1; Alzheimer’s Association). AD is the most common dementia; affecting the neuroplasticity of the brain resulting in physical shrinking of the tissues; thus causing neurodegeneration. Diagnosis of the disease is complex, costly and risky. (tricolon) Behaviors are categorized and most commonly constructed in a list of stages. Treatments have been unsuccessful in curing the disease. Ramon y Cajal proclaimed in 1928 that “once development has ended, the founts of growth and regeneration of the axons and dendrites dried up irrevocably. In the adult centers the nerve paths are soothing fixed, ended and immutable. Everything must die, nothing may be regenerated. It is for the science of the future to change, if possible, this harsh decree” (Teter 402).

A woman came into his clinic with extreme paranoia and memory loss. The patient did not survive, and upon further observation of her brain, Dr. Alzheimer found a gathering of unidentifiable material around and within her nerve cells. Also, the brain was below average size, indicating brain shrinkage (“Milestones”). Since its discovery, Alzheimer 's has leapt to 6th place on the United

Despite the number of lives Alzheimer’s disease has affected, it cannot be cured. An estimated five million Americans are affected by this disease (“Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet”); treatment trials are being conducted in addition to extensive research to learn more about lifestyle choices to support brain health. As a result, researchers are beginning to find ways to prevent this disease. Lifestyle choices including physical activity, social engagement, obtaining a healthy diet, and receiving a good night’s sleep may help counteract Alzheimer’s disease and support brain health. Although an innumerable amount of people across the United States are affected by Alzheimer's disease, it can be prevented.

(A) and (B) are patient neurofibroma-derived fibroblasts and iPS cells before and after reprogramming. The generated iPS cells maintain classic clonal growth in both feeder-dependent (data not shown) and feeder-free (B) culture system. (C) is the illustration of the genotype of the fibroblasts and iPS cells. These cells only carry a heterozygous splicing mutation (c.204+1G>A) in the NF1 genome and with the other allele remaining wildtype (Nf1+/-). (D-I) are functional assays for Nf1+/- iPS cell pluripotency using a panel of makers for human embryonic stem cells.

iPSCs are adult stem cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to behave like the pluripotent stem cells found in embryos, i.e. can differentiate into any cell type in the human body. This was first completed successfully in mice in 2006 by Shinya Yamanaka and his team (Takahashi et al., 2006), then in humans in 2007 both by Yamanaka (Takahashi et al., 2007), and by James Thomson and his team in America independently (Yu, et al., 2007). Yamanaka and Thomson’s methods were similar. In the report by Yu et

Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Sickle Cell Anemia, Alzheimer’s. This world is plague by countless diseases and there existed a time where, after many failed research attempts, scientists began to believe that people would always suffer from these diseases. However, with the introduction of stem cell research those past notions were dismissed. Upon their introduction, stem cell’s provided a new hope to the world and it proved itself to be an invaluable asset. Through stem cell research, a multitude of cures have been brought upon the world and these diseases that were uncontrollable in the past, can now be regulated and the ones suffering from now have a chance at living a better life. Sadly, there are many people who