Monday 18 February 2019

What Stem Cell Research Facilities Do And Why You Should Get Excited About It

By Christopher Wood


Understanding the latest breakthroughs in medical technology can be difficult. It may seem exciting as first, although there seem to be many who object to some of the breakthroughs for religious, ethical, and moral reasons. The compelling reasons for why stem cell research facilities are so important to our future is easier to comprehend when it's broken down.

It begins with understanding what stem cells are. In the simplest language these cells are the roots that generate a tree full of cells that have special functions. In a laboratory it is possible to divide the root cells into offshoots called daughter cells. The daughter cells have the ability to create more cells just like them, or self-renew, or start brand new cells through differentiation, that have special functions. These might be brain cells, bone, blood, or heart muscle cells. Only the stems have the ability to generate new cell types naturally.

Researchers can begin to understand how individual diseases develop by watching these particular cells grow. The science of regenerating or replacing human cells in such a way that it restores their normal function is known as regenerative medicine. It is possible to use stems to create specific cells that can regenerate or repair tissue that is damaged or diseased.

There are a wide array of diseases, all of them currently incurable, that have the potential of being eradicated. Among these are Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, strokes, heart disease, spinal cord injuries, type 1 diabetes, and cancer. There is the potential for stems to be grown into healthy tissue doctors can use for transplants.

Researchers are testing new drugs with the use of stems. Rather than exposing humans to testing, scientists are using these cells in order to learn how safe it is for humans to use them and how effectively they work. One test showing great promise is cardiac toxicity.

Scientists are currently studying how effective stems, that have been programmed to develop into cells that are specific to tissue, are for testing new drugs. For the sake of accuracy, these cells have to be programmed to replicate the kinds of cells the drug is supposed to target. For instance, tests on certain cells could show what effect a new drug has on them and whether it alters them.

Scientists obtain stems from various sources, some of them controversial. They harvest embryonic cells from embryos only a new days old for instance. These cells are the most desired because they are able to divide into stems and will also divide into every other cell that's found in the body. Harvesting embryo cells are what many individuals find so problematic.

It is possible to mimic the properties that are found in embryonic cells. Scientists have also learned how to change genes in adult cells, using genetic reprogramming, so they mimic embryonic stems. Although is it still uncertain whether the new technology will negatively affect the human body, it may be effective in preventing the body's immune system from rejecting the new cells.




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