Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found among differentiated cells in tissues or organs. The adult stem cell can renew itself and can differentiate to yield some or all of the major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ. Adult stem cells function in living organisms to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. Stem cells can be divided into three categories:
In 1968, the first successful bone marrow transplant was carried out by doctors. Bone marrow contains somatic stem cells that produce all of the different cell types that make up our blood. It is routinely transplanted to treat many blood and bone marrow diseases, blood cancers, and immune disorders. Peripheral blood stem cells from the blood stream and umbilical cord stem cells have also been used to treat some blood-based diseases. In stem cell therapy cells are introduced into a damaged tissue to treat the illness or disorder. Stem cell therapy may have the potential to change the way that human diseases are treated in the long run and reduce the suffering of a multitude of people worldwide.
These researchers believe that there is a lot of potential to replace damaged or diseased tissues in the body without getting rejections. Stem cells have the ability to self-renew and create a further generation of cells that multiply. There are a number of stem cell therapies in existence but the vast majority of them are still in the experimental stages. These treatments are generally costly with the exception of a bone marrow transplant. It is possible however that scientists may one day develop technologies from embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells to cure multiple diseases that plague humankind including type I diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, cardiac failure and neurological disorders.
However, on the flip side there are opponents of stem cell therapy that cite moral and ethical reasons as to why stem cell therapy should not be employed. When scientists learned how to remove stem cells from human embryos in 1998, controversy as well as excitement ensued. The excitement was for the potential these cells may have in revolutionizing treatment of human disease. The controversy centered on the moral implications of destroying human embryos. Debates raged between political leaders and scientists over how to regulate and fund research involving human embryonic stem cells. Governments around the globe have passed legislation to regulate stem cell research.
In the United States, laws have been enacted prohibiting the creation of embryos for research purposes. Scientists therefore receive embryos from fertility clinics. Many people agree that this practice is appropriate yet disagreements do surface. As political parties debate whether or not to fund stem cell research, the federal government allocates billions of dollars each year to biomedical research. Legislators face the unique challenge of encouraging advances in science and medicine while preserving a respect for life. However, the detractors might put it over 90% of the work involving stem cells is not controversial and this includes the therapies that are legitimately administered every day as well as most of the research work being done in many parts of the world.
There few areas in the stem cell field that have become controversial are:
Any therapy or treatment carries it’s own pros and cons or advantages and disadvantages. Some of the Pros and cons of stem cell therapy are as follows.
Potential Advantages Of Stem Cell Therapy
Potential Disadvantages Of Stem Cell Therapy
In order to discover more about stem cell research and the treatments being offered contact Baja Stem Cells today.
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