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They are unspecialised cells that stills have the ability to differentiate into specialised cells of any type.

You may often hear them referred to as pluripotent, meaning they have the potential to differentiate into many types of cells.

Do you think, these features will help Stem Cells change the world?

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1. Embryonic Stem Cells:
Cells from the embryo that       are differentiated and can
become any type of cell.

Scientific research has led to
the ability to grow embryonic
stem cells in culture (petri
dishes in labs) so that they
can be used to replace
damaged cells that result
from injuries or disease.

2. Adult Stem Cells:
Cells found in certain adult
tissues that can become a
limited number of type of cells  (Partially differentiated).

Do you think that these types will help Stem Cells change the world?

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Scientists grow embryonic stem cells and direct their differentiation so that they become a particular type of tissue.
For example, if a person's pancreas doesn't function properly, this could result in diabetes. Research is being done  on mice to implant stem cells in malfunctioning pancreas tissues in order to grow a new, functioning pancreas

Adult stem (tissue-specific) cells can also be used for a no. of purposes.
For example, bone marrow from an adult can be transported in another adult in order to grow new blood cells for the recipient who might be suffering from a blood cancer like leukemia.

Do you think that curing people successfully will help Stem Cells change the world?

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WHY IS THERE SUCH INTEREST IN STEM CELLS

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WHY IS THERE SUCH INTEREST IN STEM CELLS

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Researchers and doctors hope stem cell studies can help to:

Increase understanding of how diseases occur. By watching stem cells mature into cells in bones, heart muscle, nerves, and other organs and tissue, researchers and doctors may better understand how diseases and conditions develop.

Generate healthy cells to replace diseased cells (regenerative medicine). Stem cells can be guided into becoming specific cells that can be used to regenerate and repair diseased or damaged tissues in people.

People who might benefit from stem cell therapies include those with spinal cord injuries, type 1 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, burns, cancer and osteoarthritis.

Stem cells may have the potential to be grown to become new tissue for use in transplant and regenerative medicine. Researchers continue to advance the knowledge on stem cells and their applications in transplant and regenerative medicine.

Test new drugs for safety and effectiveness. Before using new drugs in people, some types of stem cells are useful to test the safety and quality of investigational drugs. This type of testing will most likely first have a direct impact on drug development for cardiac toxicity testing.

New areas of study include the effectiveness of using human stem cells that have been programmed into tissue-specific cells to test new drugs. For testing of new drugs to be accurate, the cells must be programmed to acquire properties of the type of cells to be tested. Techniques to program cells into specific cells continue to be studied.

For instance, nerve cells could be generated to test a new drug for a nerve disease. Tests could show whether the new drug had any effect on the cells and whether the cells were harmed.

Do you think that awareness spread will still help Stem Cells change the world?

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What are the potential problems with using embryonic stem cells in humans?

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What are the potential problems with using embryonic stem cells in humans?

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To be useful in people, researchers must be certain that stem cells will differentiate into the specific cell types desired.

Researchers have discovered ways to direct stem cells to become specific types of cells, such as directing embryonic stem cells to become heart cells. Research is ongoing in this area.

Embryonic stem cells also could grow irregularly or specialize in different cell types spontaneously. Researchers study how to control the growth and differentiation of embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells also might trigger an immune response in which the recipient's body attacks the stem cells as foreign invaders, or simply fail to function normally, with unknown consequences. Researchers continue to study how to avoid these possible complications.

Do you think that few disadvantages will still let Stem Cells will change the world?

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Stem cells have an interesting history that has been somewhat tainted with debate and controversy. In the mid 1800s it was discovered that cells were basically the building blocks of life and that some cells had the ability to produce other cells.

Attempts were made to fertilise mammalian eggs outside of the human body and in the early 1900s, it was discovered that some cells had the ability to generate blood cells.

In 1968, the first bone marrow transplant was performed to successfully treat two siblings with severe combined immunodeficiency. Other key events in stem cell research include:

1978: Stem cells were discovered in human cord blood

1981: First in vitro stem cell line developed from mice

1988: Embryonic stem cell lines created from a hamster

1995: First embryonic stem cell line derived from a primate

1997: Cloned lamb from stem cells

1997: Leukaemia origin found as haematopoietic stem cell, indicating possible proof of cancer stem cells

In 1998, Thompson, from the University of Wisconsin, isolated cells from the inner cell mass of early embryos and developed the first embryonic stem cell lines. During that exact same year, Gearhart, from Johns Hopkins University, derived germ cells from cells in foetal gonad tissue; pluripotent stem cell lines were developed from both sources. Then, in 1999 and 2000, scientists discovered that manipulating adult mouse tissues could produce different cell types. This meant that cells from bone marrow could produce nerve or liver cells and cells in the brain could also yield other cell types. These discoveries were exciting for the field of stem cell research, with the promise of greater scientific control over stem cell differentiation and proliferation.

The unfortunate reality of this enormous breadth of information, however, is that scientists may fabricate studies and findings. This was the case in 2004 to 2005, when Hwang Woo-Suk, a Korean researcher, claimed to have produced human embryonic stem cell lines from unfertilised human eggs. The lines were eventually shown to be completely false and therefore fabricated, but the huge international scandal left the public doubtful and mistrusting of the scientific community.

More recently, in 2005, scientists at Kingston University in England were purported to have found another category of stem cells. These were named cord blood embryonic-like stem cells, which originate in umbilical cord blood. It is suggested that these stem cells have the ability to differentiate into more cell types than adult stem cells, opening up greater possibilities for cell-based therapies. Then, in early 2007, researchers led by Dr. Anthony Atala claimed that a new type of stem cell had been isolated in amniotic fluid. This finding is particularly important because these stem cells could prove to be a viable alternative to the controversial use of embryonic stem cells.

Over the last few years, national policies and debate amongst the public as well as religious groups, government officials and scientists have led to various laws and procedures regarding stem cell harvesting, development and treatment for research or disease purposes. The goals of such policies are to safeguard the public from unethical stem cell research and use while still supporting new advancements in the field.

Today

Stem cell research has now progressed dramatically and there are countless research studies published each year in scientific journals. Adult stem cells are already being used to treat many conditions such as heart disease and leukaemia. Researchers still have a long way to go before they completely control the regulation of stem cells. The potential is overwhelmingly positive and with continued support and research, scientists will ideally be able to harness the full power of stem cells to Treat Diseases that you or a loved one may suffer from one day.