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Stem Cells - Research on One Side and Controversies on the Other

Stem cells have the potential to develop into many different cell types. Because of this, many scientists believe that stem cell therapy would be effective in curing many diseases. Stem cells divide in order to replenish other cells. Each cell may remain a stem cell or become a cell with a more specialized function.

There are three classes of stem cells; totipotent (its potential is total), multipotent (can create a number of different stem cells) and pluripotent (can create any type of cell in the body except those needed to develop a fetus). Pluripotent stem cells are the types of stem cells most often used in stem cell transplants.

Stem cells lines are able to be used in the transplantation or treatment of tissues. Stem cells can be engineered, so that the patient's immune system does not reject them. Stem cell therapy may be able to treat leukemia, lymphoma, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Sources of Stem Cells

Pluripotent stem cells are collected from human embryos that are a few days old. They have also been developed from fetal tissue. One source of stem cells are aborted fetuses. Adult stem cells can also be collected and used in stem cell therapy. Adult stem cells may be collected from bone marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood.

The Unique Properties of Stem Cells

Stem cells have many unique properties that are not shared by other cells, which make them useful in treating diseases. Some of the properties that make stem cells useful in medical treatments include:

Stem cells do not die;
Stem cells can be engineered in a laboratory;
Stem cells can give rise to other types of cells in the body;
Stem cells help scientists see how certain medical conditions occur;
Stem cells can be used to make cells and tissues;
Stem cells can be used for transplants.

Application of Stem Cells in Clinical Medicine

Adult stem cells that have been collected from bone marrow have already been used to treat diseases. Research has shown there are some limitations to using adult stem cells. They may be difficult to isolate and may not have the same capacity to multiply as embryonic stem cells.

It is thought that stem cells will be able to successfully treat many diseases, but the research is still in its early stages. In the US, federal funds to support human embryonic stem cell research only became available in 2001. As more time passes and more human stem cell research is done, scientists will gain a better understand of how stem cells can be used in medical treatments.

The Criteria for Successful Use of Stem Cells

There are a number of factors that contribute to the overall success of stem cells in medical research and treatments. In order to be useful for transplant purposes, stem cells need to be able to:

Generate sufficient quantities of tissue;
Differentiate into the desired cell type;
Survive in the recipient after they are transplanted;
Perform the tasks it needs to do for the patient's life;
Avoiding harming the patient;
Integrate into the surrounding tissue.

Scientists need to be able to reproduce and control stem cells so that they achieve the desired result. Stem cells need to be isolated and engineered in a laboratory in order to achieve the desired results.