Stem Cell Research

Stem cells are the cells from which all other cells originate. Stem cells in early human development, with the correct chemical cue, can specialize into the over 200 kinds of tissue found in a human body. As the body matures, stem cells take on the function of maintaining and healing body tissue.

Since stem cells are so versatile, and there are many diseases that result from the lack of or dysfunction of a single type of cell, there is hope within the medical community that some day cells can be reprogrammed to cure various diseases. Some of the diseases include Parkinson’s, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and heart disease.

Where do stem cells come from?

There are many sources for stem cells. Sources include: adult stem cells, umbilical cord and placenta stem cells, embryonic stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells.

Adult stem cells are partially specialized cells. These cells are found throughout the body such as bone marrow, liver, brain, the nasal cavity and in fat. There have been 73 clinically successful therapies and treatments, and in some cases outright cures, derived from adult stem cells.

Umbilical cords have a rich supply of multipotent stem cells which are effective in treating numerous conditions and less prone to rejection than other blood stem cells. Amniotic stem cells have been modified into at least 7 different types of tissue, including muscle and neural cells.

Human embryonic stem cells are extracted from an early stage embryo (5 to 7 days after fertilization). Harvesting the stem cells requires killing the embryo. Two major problems have been identified in animal trials with embryonic stem cells: tissue rejection and tumor formation. At this time, no human clinical trials have yet to be approved with use of embryonic stem cells.

Ordinary skin cells have now been modified as pluripotent stem cells. The induced pluripotent (iPS) cells have the same qualities as embryonic stem cells and provide a DNA match for patients. Many researchers recognize iPS cells as the future of stem cell research.