Stem Cells Essay - 1746 Words

Introduction The use of stem cells can advance drug development, knowledge of disease, patience specific disease treatment, and can bypass the limits of mouse-models for research. According to the National Institute of Health (1), stem cells are unique in the following ways: they can divide and renew themselves for long periods, they are unspecialized, and they can give rise to specialized cell types. The uniqueness of these stem cells allows for the testing of new drugs, cell-based therapies and the study of human development including cancer research. Human stem cell therapies have been used for the treatment of neurological disease in human clinical trials such as Parkinson’s disease (2), spinal cord injury (3,4) stroke (5), and†¦show more content†¦Background The generation of stem cells from zygotes and blastomeres retain the ability to create all embryonic and extraembryonic tissues (13) these are deemed ‘totipotent’, while cells that generate embryonic and cannot generate extraembryonic tissues are deemed ‘pluripotent’. Induced cells that are in a differentiable state, pluripotent, are the cells chosen to advance medicine. Cells selected for induced pluripotency cannot be terminally differentiated, as these cells lose their ability to be developed into other cells types (14). Pluripotency can be induced by the study of embryonic stem cells. These cells express factors (Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc), deemed Yamanaka factors (15) and described as such in this review. There are currently four main methods for delivering these factors including viral vectors, DNA-based induction, RNA molecules and recombinant proteins (fig 1.) (16,17). Fig 1. Induced pluripotent cells from somatic cells by transduction, DNA-based induction, RNA molecules and recombinant proteins, creates a reprogramming wave leading to cells with the potential to become many cell types (16). The equivalency of induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells is variable but using screening techniques, bioinformatics assay, cells that are more similar to embryonic stem cells can be selected for cloning techniques (18,19). The reprogramming wave, occurs in two parts, driven by c-Myc/Klf4 (first wave) and Oct4/Sox2/Klf4 (second wave),Show MoreRelatedStem Cells Essay1699 Words   |  7 Pageshas provided us with a hope for these diseases. This essay will address the issue of controversial research in stem cells. This technology offers hope to millions who are victims of a multitude of diseases and disorders. It can be used to regrow limbs, create organs, attack genetic diseases, treat malfunctioning bladders, etc. However, this same technology is also one of the most controversial debates in science today. If you type â€Å"stem cells research† into your Google search bar, you will most likelyRead MoreStem Cells Essay1530 Words   |  7 Pages Stem cells are used every day throughout the United States to help cure diseases and save lives. Stem cells can also be used to study labor defects so that future birth deficiencies can be prevented or reversed. Although as a college student starting a family may not be on your mind yet, it is always beneficial to educate yourself on current trends and new discoveries in stem cell research. Andres Travino and his wife were excited when their son Andy was born ten years ago. Andy prayed and hopedRead MoreStem Cell Essay939 Words   |  4 PagesInduced Pluripotent Stem Cells and their use in Cardiac Regeneration Introduction Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the world. Ischemic heart disease, where the oxygen supply to the myocardium is restricted, is a common cause of an MI. Myocardial injury results in loss of cardiomyocytes (cardiac muscle cells) due to apoptosis, and the development of necrotic myocardium, eventually leading to heart failure. The formation of the necrotic myocardium causesRead MoreStem Cell Essay1061 Words   |  5 Pagestreated with the use of embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are cells derived from the undifferentiated inner mass cells of human embryo. In simpler terms, these cells have the ability of developing into any of the two hundred different cell types in our bodies. Unlike most of the cells in our bodies, such as heart cells or skin cells, which conduct a specific function, a stem cell does not have a specific function until it is specialized (Hogan). A stem cell that is becoming specialized willRead More Stem Cells Es say1128 Words   |  5 PagesEmbryonic Stem Cells â€Å"Embryonic stem cells...are in effect, a human self-repair kit,† (Christopher Reeve, activist – Larry King show). For the advancement of science, stem cells are infinitely valuable, especially when considering all the potential applications in the field of medicine. Stem cell usage is a very controversial topic, because most people think of abortions, cloning, and other negative topics when they hear the term stem cell. However I think those thoughts are because they don’tRead More Stem Cells Essay4600 Words   |  19 Pages Stem cells are a large focus of study in today’s biomedical world. They are cells that exist in an undifferentiated state, and transform into differing tissue types depending on what the cells surrounding them are. The different types of stem cells have the ability to repair many classes of damaged human tissue. However, only one type of stem cell promises to regenerate virtually any class of tissue. This is the highly controversial embryonic stem cell (ESC). Unfortunately, there is a dark sideRead MoreEssay on Stem Cells2760 Words   |  12 Pagesof the most recent advances in stem cell research. 2.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Stem cells should be defined by their ability to renew themselves and diversify into other cell types. 3.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;There are several readily accessible sources of stem cells. Strict criteria apply to the use of these sources in medical research. 4.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Stem cells have wide potential application in medicine. quot;Adultquot; stem cells have already been used in the worldsRead MoreStem Cell Research: The Benefits of Stem Cells Essay723 Words   |  3 Pagesextracted the adult stem cells from it and formed an osteoblast, which is a bone forming cell. Six months after the osteoblast was injected, it started forming new bone material which filled the gaps (NIH Stem Cells). Stem cells could be a genius way to treat many diseases and disorders and it should be supported by everyone. Stem cells get their name from the fact that they are basic cells that other cells develop from. They are capable of developing into a wide range of cells. Stem cells could potentiallyRead MoreEssay on Stem Cells2831 Words   |  12 Pages What is a stem cell? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Stem cells have the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and to give rise to specialized cells. They are best described in the context of normal human development. Human development begins when a sperm fertilizes an egg and creates a single cell that has the potential to form an entire organism. This fertilized egg is totipotent, meaning that its potential is total. In the first hours after fertilization, this cell divides intoRead More Stem Cell Essay1406 Words   |  6 Pagesothers. Research in the use of stem cells holds limitless possibilities in the medical field. Stem cells are the cells in our bodies that are in their primitive form. These cells have not yet become the type of cell they are destined to be, whether it be nervous tissue or another. However, even though stem cell research is a great new field, its progress is being limited by moral concerns and ethical questions. In order to let medicine reach its full potential, stem cell research should be legalized