Answer by fss
Stem cells are cells found in all multi cellular organisms. They are characterized by the ability to renew themselves through mitotic cell division and differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cell types.
The two broad types of mammalian stem cells are: embryonic stem cells that are isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, and adult stem cells that are found in adult tissues.
The term adult stem cell refers to any cell which is found in a developed organism that has two properties: the ability to divide and create another cell like itself and also divide and create a cell more differentiated than itself.
Most adult stem cells are lineage-restricted (multipotent) and are generally referred to by their tissue origin (mesenchymal stem cell, adipose-derived stem cell, endothelial stem cell, etc.).
Adult stem cell treatments have been successfully used for many years to treat leukemia and related bone/blood cancers through bone marrow transplants.Adult stem cells are also used in veterinary medicine to treat tendon and ligament injuries in horses.
Answer by Peter S
Totipotent (totally potent) embryonic stem cells are capable of forming every type of body cell. Each totipotent cell could replicate and differentiate and become a human being. All cells within the early embryo are totipotent up until the 16 cell stage or so.
Next are the pluripotent embryonic stem cells which can develop into any of the three major tissue types: endoderm (interior gut lining), mesoderm (muscle, bone, blood), and ectoderm (epidermal tissues and nervous system). Pluripotent stem cells can eventually specialize in any bodily tissue, but they cannot themselves develop into a human being.
Answer by midnightmoon
Of course they should have access to embryonic stem cells. If its socially and morally acceptable for women to kill more embryos in vain attempts to get preg after their body clearly and loudly said no, then it is most definatly ok for scientists to use the embryos they left for dead in research that could help many people live better lives.
Yes, adult stem cell research has made tons of progress. I myself have had adult stem cell treatment (I had a hematopoetic stem cell transplant). However, who knows what embryonic stem cells could do?
I also think it is unfair that people say embryonic stem cells havnt given results yet. Do you know it was something like 40 years between the discovery that bone marrow was hematopoetic stem cells and the first hematopoetic stem cell transplant?? If it took 40 years to make any kind of progress with adult stem cells, I dont think its fair to call embryonic stem cell research over in less than 10, ESPECIALLY when there are more embryos being killed daily that could be used with the research. Stopping embryonic stem cell research today would not stop embryos from being destroyed.
Some people ask if it would have been ok for Hitler to do experiments on the Jews after he killed them. HUGE differences between those situations. First and foremost, embryos are NOT humans. They have no distinct organs, they have no heart, they have no feeling and they no consciousness. The are less than 14 days old. If they were in a live woman, she wouldnt even know she was preg yet. It is a total misconception that these stem cells come from aborted babies and that women are paid to get preg and have abortions. Not even close to true. However, even if this research did come from abortions, if it is legal for me to have an abortion and take the remains home for burial, you CANT say its illegal for me to have a legal abortion and then donate the remains to research. You just cant.
Further more… Its a cliche and over used question, but… If there was a fire, and you had to choose between saving one baby, and a container of a million embryos, which one are you going to save? NO one would go after the container of a million embryos, they would ALL go after the baby without a second thought about it.
Answer by dadnbob
It’s one of those miracles of life that we are still trying to figure out.
Latest News
Adult Stem Cells Used To Rebuild Heart Tissue / Video
Adult Stem Cell Therapy For Heart Disease / Educational Video. Public service advertisement courtesy of Vescell. If you suffer from coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, or congestive heart failure and your doctor told you that there’s nothing else that can be done, he may not know about VesCell™ adult stem cell therapy for heart disease. VesCell™ is a revolutionary new treatment for heart disease that actually rebuilds heart tissue using the patient’s own stem cells. Stem cells are the body’s “master cells” whose normal function is to repair and replace damaged tissue. VesCell™ harnesses and enhances stem cells’ unique abilities, enabling the patient’s own body to heal itself. In a patented process, our cardiologists and vascular surgeons take a sample of the patient’s own blood, separate the stem cells, multiply them in vitro, and then inject them where they are most needed. In clinical trials worldwide, hundreds of patients have been successfully treated, with more than 75% showing substantial improvement. If you are suffering from the debilitating effects of heart disease with little hope of getting better, there is no other treatment in the world that can give you a better chance to get back to a normal life than VesCell™. Stem cells are special cells that can turn into many different cell types in the body such as heart muscle cells, brain cells, and skin cells. Stem cells for therapeutic use can be obtained from three potential sources: 1) Embryonic; 2) Certain …
Cord blood – could an umbilical cord really save lives? – Horizon – Lifeblood – BBC
Amazing research in to cord blood, found in baby’s umbilical cords that can save lives due to the high number of stem cells it contains. Brilliant video from BBC show Life Blood. Watch more high quality videos on the Explore YouTube channel from BBC Worldwide here: www.youtube.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Aubrey de Grey – Progress in Therapies for Rejuvination and their Delivery – 2011-10-03
Aubrey de Grey speaks about different types of Ruminative Therapy Delivery. Sometimes there are some video delays because of bandwidth lag, but most information is there. Some parts of the research being deprioritized within SENS because research is going on elsewhere, such as some types Amyloid (extra cellular garbage), but SENS are working on the shrinkage of cells, Thyamis?… 04:33 Future of Monitoring the Body – motivation for monitoring people may be less if we assume the worse case scenario for everyone, and apply the therapies needed. 06:05 Transplantation: Issues of Rejection and Infection – Tissue Engineering is creating organs that have never been in another body, therefore risk of infection can be greatly minimised, and the organs can be created using the cells of the receivers body. The going has been slow, because of vascularisation (issues with getting blood flow), though change over past few years, we have been experimenting: take an organ, get rid of cells, but not the vasculature (veins), and take cells from the recievers body, and fill out the organ with his/her own cells leaving the vascelature in place. Mechanical or non-biological solutions – in some cases are looking very promising (ie Cochlear Implants – getting better very fast, could be 5 years away from them getting better than normal hearing). This will become more important as time goes on. Another way of avoiding the ionfection / rejection issues. Organs could come from another animal. 11:55 …
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Stem Cells and the End of Aging Part 3 of 6
This lecture, by Dr. Nadia Rosenthal, discusses the role of stem cells in the regeneration and repair of tissues, and their possible medicinal application through the harnessing of their regenerative properties. HHMI description: Human tissues vary in their ability to heal and regenerate. The nervous system has weak powers of regeneration, while the skin is quick to make new cells for repair. Mammalian muscle cells are intermediate in their ability to regenerate. Human muscle can regenerate in response to minor wounds and normal wear and tear, but humans will not grow a new bicep, for example, in response to amputation. The heart is the most important muscle in the body and yet has feeble regenerative capabilities. Research into the wholesale production of new replacement organs and limbs is in its infancy, but research into enhancing normal levels of regeneration is progressing rapidly. Recent discoveries concerning the location and characteristics of adult stem cells and the signals that wounded tissue produces to activate stem cells have increased our understanding of regeneration. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is an example of an important stem cell communication molecule. If the activity of the growth factor is experimentally enhanced, muscle regeneration improves.
Stem Cell Books
Christian activists file lawsuit against HHS/NIH to halt federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.(Government Activity)(Brief Article): An article from: Transplant News This digital document is an article from Transplant News, published by Transplant Communications, Inc. on March 16, 2001. The length of the article is 1704 words. The page length shown above is based [...]
80 Nobel laureates urge President Bush to continue federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.: An article from: Transplant News This digital document is an article from Transplant News, published by Transplant Communications, Inc. on February 28, 2001. The length of the article is 909 words. The page length shown above is based on a [...]
President Bush likely to try banning federal funds for research using tissue, stem cells from aborted fetuses.: An article from: Transplant News This digital document is an article from Transplant News, published by Transplant Communications, Inc. on January 31, 2001. The length of the article is 501 words. The page length shown above is based [...]
- Christian activists file lawsuit against HHS/NIH to halt federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.(Government Activity)(Brief Article): An article from: Transplant News
- 80 Nobel laureates urge President Bush to continue federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.: An article from: Transplant News
- President Bush likely to try banning federal funds for research using tissue, stem cells from aborted fetuses.: An article from: Transplant News