Stem-cell therapy
Stem-cell therapy is a medical approach that utilizes stem cells—unique cells capable of developing into various specialized cell types—to treat a range of health conditions and injuries. The therapy hinges on the ability of stem cells to promote healing and regeneration in damaged or diseased tissues. While human embryonic stem cells are recognized for their high adaptability, their use is controversial due to ethical concerns surrounding the destruction of embryos. As a result, researchers often explore alternative sources, such as adult stem cells, which have more limited capabilities, and perinatal stem cells obtained from tissues associated with childbirth.
Current applications of stem-cell therapy are most established in procedures like bone marrow transplants, which help treat blood-related diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma. The field is still evolving, with ongoing research aimed at expanding the potential uses of stem cells in regenerative medicine. While many experts believe that stem-cell therapy could revolutionize healthcare by providing alternatives to organ transplants and treating previously incurable conditions, others caution against its risks and emphasize the need for thorough research. As advancements continue, the dialogue around stem-cell therapy remains complex, encompassing medical, ethical, and scientific dimensions.
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Stem-cell therapy
Stem-cell therapy refers to medical procedures that use stem cells—special cells that can generate new, specialized types of cells—to treat illnesses, injuries, and other medical maladies. Basically, applying stem cells to damaged or diseased body tissue might promote the healing and regrowth of that tissue. The most therapeutically useful stem cells come from human embryos, but gathering and using these are highly controversial, and most scientists opt to use less-adaptable stem cells from other sources. Experimentation with this form of medicine continues. Many medical experts believe that stem cells will play a major role in future healthcare practices. Many others downplay their effectiveness and characterize the therapy as prohibitively dangerous.
Background
Cells are fundamental components of the human body and other living organisms. Cells are incredibly intricate and crucial structures, despite being much too small to be visible with the naked eye. Humans have trillions of cells that specialize in carrying out all the main physical tasks a person needs to survive. For example, cells may become brain cells, muscle cells, bone cells, or blood cells, depending on the body’s needs.
One of the most important types of cells is called a stem cell. Scientists think of these cells as the raw materials from which the body can create what it requires. Like other types of cells, stem cells in the body can divide, thus creating more cells. These newly created cells are known as “daughter cells” and may function as new stem cells or take on any special function. Stem cells have the unique ability to create whatever types of cells the body requires. They can create the cells needed for organs, nerves, bones, blood, or any other body part.
Human embryos are rich in powerful stem cells. The embryo requires this large supply of stem cells to create bones, the brain, organs, skin, and all the other parts necessary for survival. Embryonic stem cells are called pluripotent, meaning they are particularly adaptable. People generally have lower percentages of stem cells as they grow older, and adults have relatively small amounts. In addition, adult stem cells are not as powerful as embryonic stem cells and have limited abilities to create new specialized cells.
Overview
The unique qualities of stem cells make them vital for human development. These qualities also make stem cell research an area of significant interest to medical experts and other scientists. Many scientists research stem cells in hopes of determining how they form, get, and use their special powers of generation and specialization. Such insights could unlock many still-mysterious aspects of human development. Studying stem cells might also help to show how diseases begin and spread or different drugs might affect diseases.
Many other scientists are interested in stem cells because of their potential for use for other purposes, such as stem-cell therapy. Stem-cell therapy, sometimes called regenerative medicine, is a field of health care that focuses on using stem cells artificially to heal or repair a body part. In its most basic sense, stem-cell therapy involves applying stem cells to body parts that are sick, injured, or otherwise not working correctly. The stem cells may establish themselves in the afflicted area and begin generating the necessary new cells to correct the problem.
Many medical experts consider stem cell therapy a revolutionary field that may immensely benefit humanity. It may become a future alternative for organ transplants. Traditionally, a person in need of an organ may have to go through a lengthy application process in search of a donor and wait months or years for a match. In some cases, people with serious illnesses die while awaiting donor organs, which are very limited. Stem cell therapy might involve implanting stem cells into the patient’s existing but damaged organ, which could promote the creation of new organ cells and, ultimately, repair the organ, making a transplant unnecessary.
Even though stem cell therapy is still in its infancy, transplanted stem cells have successfully replaced cancerous or chemotherapy-damaged cells in tests with cancer patients. Most commonly, the process is used in bone marrow transplants to counter the effects of blood-related diseases, including lymphoma, leukemia, and neuroblastoma. Other uses are less certain and seldom approved by official agencies.
The most scientifically valuable type of stem cell is the embryonic stem cell, which is typically harvested in laboratories where human eggs are fertilized with sperm in vitro (outside the body). Because these materials come from humans, and the resulting embryo is also human, the gathering and use of this type of stem cell is extremely controversial. Some people believe it is wrong to use a human embryo in this manner, even if it may result in better health for patients in need.
For this reason, many scientists and medical experts attempt to avoid using embryonic stem cells. They may opt instead for adult stem cells, even though these are far less adaptable than the embryonic version. Some scientists may use adult stem cells that are genetically altered to behave more like embryonic stem cells, a technique that requires much more effort but shows promise.
Another option is using perinatal stem cells, or stem cells that exist within the umbilical cord, amniotic fluid, or other bodily materials cast off during childbirth. These kinds of materials may prove to be highly useful to science and medicine and avoid the ideological concerns related to the use of embryos. Yet another possibility is cloning stem cells. Although this process has not led to successful therapeutic results in humans yet, it remains an area of significant interest for future medical testing.
Bibliography
Aly, Riham Mohamed. “Current State of Stem Cell-Based Therapies: An Overview.” Stem Cell Investigation, vol. 7, no. 8, 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7367472/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2023.
“How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?” University of Washington Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, 2023, iscrm.uw.edu/how-does-stem-cell-therapy-work/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2023.
“Stem Cells: What They Are and What They Do.” Mayo Clinic, 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bone-marrow-transplant/in-depth/stem-cells/art-20048117. Accessed 5 Sept. 2023.
“What is a Cell?” Medline Plus, 22 Feb. 2021, medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/basics/cell/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2023.
“What Stem Cell-Based Therapies Are Currently Available?” Harvard Stem Cell Institute, 2023, hsci.harvard.edu/faq/stem-cell-therapies. Accessed 5 Sept. 2023.