Stem cell technology studies stem cells in humans and animals, which have the potential to regenerate organs and treat diseases. The use of human embryos is controversial, but research is being done on using adult stem cells and synthesizing stem cells through gene manipulation.
Stem cell technology is a field of medical research that studies human and animal stem cells. Stem cells are natural cells essential for the growth and regeneration of organisms. Stem cells are already being used for therapeutic purposes and research suggests potential future benefits of stem cells in many fields of medicine. This research is controversial, however, because some of these technologies involve the use of human embryos.
Stem cells are present in all multicellular organisms. They are capable of transforming into any of the specialized cells necessary for organ growth and maintenance. In the development of embryos, they become the cells necessary for the formation of various organs. In old age, they replenish these organs by replacing dead or diseased cells. One of the functions of stem cell technology is to gain a better understanding of this complex process.
Stem cells in the bone marrow supply the body with blood cells. Bone marrow transplants, a common treatment for leukemia patients, are a form of stem cell technology. Some scientists believe similar uses of stem cells could eventually treat diseases as diverse as diabetes, nerve disease, Alzheimer’s and hearing loss. If genetic research can explain how stem cells work, they could theoretically be used to replace cells damaged or destroyed by these diseases.
It is unclear whether stem cell technology will be able to overcome the potential drawbacks of such treatment. For example, stem cells can actually create cancer if they are allowed to grow in an organism without regulation. Tissue rejection is also a problem, as with any organ transplant, if the source of the stem cells is someone other than the patient. The use of adult stem cells from other parts of the patient’s body could overcome these problems, but these possibilities remain to be explored.
Much of the research into stem cell technology is done using stem cells from animals such as mice. Human stem cells are sometimes taken from frozen embryos rescued from practices such as in vitro fertilization. These embryos are no longer needed and are used with the donor’s permission. The practice remains controversial, however, because many people believe these embryos make up a living human being.
Scientists discovered in 2007 how to synthesize stem cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells, from other cells through gene manipulation. This has the potential to allow for the therapeutic use of stem cells without involving the embryos. It’s not a perfect solution, because cancer remains a risk, but such patient-harvested cells may not be subject to tissue rejection. Stem cell technology is still in its infancy, but the potential benefits for humanity could be enormous.
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