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Many clinics offering stem cell treatments make claims that are not supported by a current understanding of science

Stem cells have tremendous promise to help us understand and treat a range of diseases, injuries and other health-related conditions. Their potential is evident in the use of blood stem cells to treat diseases of the blood, a therapy that has saved the lives of thousands of children with leukemia; and can be seen in the use of stem cells for tissue grafts to treat diseases or injury to the bone, skin and surface of the eye. Important clinical trials involving stem cells are underway for many other conditions and researchers continue to explore new avenues using stem cells in medicine.

There is still a lot to learn about stem cells, however, and their current applications as treatments are sometimes exaggerated by the media and other parties who do not fully understand the science and current limitations, and also by "clinics" looking to capitalize on the hype by selling treatments to chronically ill or seriously injured patients. The information on this page is intended to help you understand both the potential and the limitations of stem cells at this point in time, and to help you spot some of the misinformation that is widely circulated by clinics offering unproven treatments.

It is important to discuss these Nine Things to Know and any research or information you gather with your primary care physician and other trusted members of your healthcare team in deciding what is right for you.

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Nine Things to Know About Stem Cell Treatments

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Stem cells have tremendous promise to help us understand and treat a range of diseases, injuries and other health-related conditions. Their potential is evident in the use of blood stem cells to treat diseases of the blood, a therapy that has saved the lives of thousands of children with leukemia; and can be seen in the use of stem cells for tissue grafts to treat diseases or injury to the bone, skin and surface of the eye.

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What advancements or successes have already been achieved through stem cell research and what are the limitations? JW

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What advancements or successes have already been achieved through stem cell research and what are the limitations? JW

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Some advancements that have been achieved through stem cell research are testing new drugs, and treating diseases. Adult cells are limited to a particular type where the specimen was extracted. Therefor when the cells come from the brain, it will only generate a similar type.
http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/7.htm

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How are Stem Cells extracted or harvested? JW

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How are Stem Cells extracted or harvested? JW

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The process of harvesting  stem cells for transplant depends on the source of the stem cells. Stem cells can be collected from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood.
http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/diagnosis-and-treatment/stem-cell-transplant/harvesting-stem-cells/?region=on

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A Stem Cell is special because it can differ from other kinds of cells in the body. All Stem Cells have 3 general properties that are capable of dividing and recommencing themselves for long periods of time. The Stem Cells are unlimited for an all purpose rise to specialized cells. So for the cells that are limited can eventually be replaced.

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What are Stem Cells? Types of Stem Cell and their Uses

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What are stem cells, what makes them unique and what are stem cells used for? Stem cells are the body's natural reservoir and are essential to the maintenance of tissues.

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A Stem Cell is a comparable cell of a multicellular organism that is capable of renewing themselves and can also make a variety of other kinds of cells. There's two types of Stem Cells which are the Embryonic and adult Stem Cells. The Stem Cells can divide and produce identical copies of one another over and over calling this process differentiation. The self renewal continues throughout the life of the organism itself.

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What are the moral and ethical controversies surrounding Stem Cells? BA

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What are the moral and ethical controversies surrounding Stem Cells? BA

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The moral and ethical controversies surrounding the Stem Cell Research is that many believe that it is taking away the value of a human life. Also, many people have different ways as to defining embryo's, either viewed as a person while it is still an embryo, or as a soon to be person. Many also think that the embryo's should have some type of protecting over this because the embryo has yet not reached his full potential.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/stem-cells/

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What are the benefits of the Stem Cell? BA

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What are the benefits of the Stem Cell? BA

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Stem cells can benefit many people in this world, but also those who haven't been born yet. The way the stem cell can benefit the embryo is by actually changing some birth defects. Some benefits of the Embryonic Stem Cell research is that it has the potential to cure many things like spinal cord injuries, birth defects, and Parkinson's disease but also many different genetic and rare system disorders like diabetes, HIV, HCV, leukemia and breast cancer.

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Stem cell research is the use of either adult or embryonic cells to treat and cure diseases. Stem cells are immature and not fully developed cells of the human body that have the potential to be manipulated into different types of cells. There is a large debate surrounding stem cell research, which is mostly a moral one. Let's take a look at the good and bad that could come from the use of stem cells in our society.

The Advantages of Stem Cell Research

1. Immense Medical Benefits
The main purpose of researching stem cells is to asses their use in the medical field. It has been shown that they can be extremely beneficial in therapeutic cloning to treat chronic illnesses. They have also been a wonderful stepping stone into the advancement of regenerative medicines.

2. A Better Knowledge of Human Growth
By studying the very foundation of human growth, stem cells, in depth, scientists have been able to gain a much better understanding of how our bodies work. This is vital for advancing medicine, medical processes, and even cures for degenerative illnesses.

3. The Key To Reversing Aging
Stem cells are the key to regenerative processes, which could possibly be age reversal. By reviving organs in our body that have become old or worn out, you could essentially live forever or at least greatly prolong the lives of humans.

4. Cure Development Defects Before They Happen
Stem cell research doesn't just benefit the people walking around the earth, but also the ones that haven't been born yet. The effects of these cells on embryos could change the way that birth defects are treated. They could possibly be corrected before the child is even born, greatly improving their quality of life and chance of survival.

The Disadvantages of Stem Cell Research

1. High Uncertainties
One of the largest issues that people have with stem cell research is just how risky and unknown it truly is. Major advancements still need to be made and new technology must be developed before it can be used in an efficient and safe way.

2. Unknown Side Effects
Since stem cells are still in their research phase, the true long term effects of their use is not known or understood. Using them could cause new illnesses and disease to develop, or even interfere with the natural functions of the body.

3. Playing God
The moral argument is another big one when it comes to this topic. Many people believe that altering the basic structure of a human's genes is putting hands somewhere they should not be. The moral issue is the most frequently argued.

4. Perpetuates Cloning of Humans
Cloning is the process of making an exact genetic copy of a living organism. Stem cell research also aids the research into human cloning. Human cloning has been widely reviewed as a detriment to society with many negative benefits.

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Important Facts About Stem Cell Research

Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, birth defects, damaged organs, and cancer could all be possibly treated with the use of stem cells.

Bone marrow transplantation is the only form of stem cell research that has been proven to be effective and safe.

Manipulating cells and their functions in a clinical setting or laboratory can hinder their normal functions and render them dangerous for use.

Stem cells can copy themselves for an unlimited period of time.

The reason that they have gained so much attention, is because stem cells are "blank" cells that can be turned into almost anything that the body needs.

Therapeutic cloning is a type of stem cell research.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Stem Cell Research

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Stem cell research is the use of either adult or embryonic cells to treat and cure diseases. Stem cells are immature and not fully developed cells of the human body that have the potential to be manipulated into different types of cells. There is a large debate surrounding stem cell research, which is mostly a moral one.

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Why Embryonic Stem Cells are more Prized than Somatic Stem Cells. DS

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Why Embryonic Stem Cells are more Prized than Somatic Stem Cells. DS

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Embryonic stem cells are usually more prized than somatic stem cells for a couple of important reasons. The main reason why scientists like working with embryonic cells better is because they have the ability to develop into every type of cell in the human body. The second reason is that embryonic stem cells are able to have unlimited divisions and can multiple a little bit faster than somatic stem cells. Both types of stem cells are important to science, but embryonic stem cells are probably more useful of different scientific explorations.

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Embryonic stem cells have a greater potential for treating disease than do adult stem cells. The chance for rejection is, however, higher with embryonic stem cells.

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Somatic Stem Cells and or an Adult Cell-What are they? DS

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Somatic Stem Cells and or an Adult Cell-What are they? DS

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A somatic stem cell is an undifferentiated cell in which it is found within other differentiated cells in a tissue or an organ. These types of cells can renew themselves and can naturally stay away from the major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ. The primary job of somatic stem cells are to maintain and repair the living tissue in which they are found in.

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1. Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important?

2. What are the unique properties of all stem cells?

3. What are embryonic stem cells?

4. What are adult stem cells?

5. What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells?

6. What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

7. What are the potential uses of human stem cells and the obstacles that must be overcome before these potential uses will be realized?

8. Where can I get more information?

IV. What are adult stem cells?

An adult stem cell is thought to be an undifferentiated cell, found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ. 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. The primary roles of adult stem cells in a living organism are to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. Scientists also use the term somatic stem cell instead of adult stem cell, where somatic refers to cells of the body (not the germ cells, sperm or eggs). Unlike embryonic stem cells, which are defined by their origin (cells from the preimplantation-stage embryo), the origin of adult stem cells in some mature tissues is still under investigation.

Research on adult stem cells has generated a great deal of excitement. Scientists have found adult stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible. This finding has led researchers and clinicians to ask whether adult stem cells could be used for transplants. In fact, adult hematopoietic, or blood-forming, stem cells from bone marrow have been used in transplants for more than 40 years. Scientists now have evidence that stem cells exist in the brain and the heart, two locations where adult stem cells were not at first expected to reside. If the differentiation of adult stem cells can be controlled in the laboratory, these cells may become the basis of transplantation-based therapies.

The history of research on adult stem cells began more than 60 years ago. In the 1950s, researchers discovered that the bone marrow contains at least two kinds of stem cells. One population, called hematopoietic stem cells, forms all the types of blood cells in the body. A second population, called bone marrow stromal stem cells (also called mesenchymal stem cells, or skeletal stem cells by some), were discovered a few years later. These non-hematopoietic stem cells make up a small proportion of the stromal cell population in the bone marrow and can generate bone, cartilage, and fat cells that support the formation of blood and fibrous connective tissue.

In the 1960s, scientists who were studying rats discovered two regions of the brain that contained dividing cells that ultimately become nerve cells. Despite these reports, most scientists believed that the adult brain could not generate new nerve cells. It was not until the 1990s that scientists agreed that the adult brain does contain stem cells that are able to generate the brain's three major cell types- astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which are non-neuronal cells, and neurons, or nerve cells.

A. Where are adult stem cells found, and what do they normally do?

Adult stem cells have been identified in many organs and tissues, including brain, bone marrow, peripheral blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, teeth, heart, gut, liver, ovarian epithelium, and testis. They are thought to reside in a specific area of each tissue (called a "stem cell niche"). In many tissues, current evidence suggests that some types of stem cells are pericytes, cells that compose the outermost layer of small blood vessels. Stem cells may remain quiescent (non-dividing) for long periods of time until they are activated by a normal need for more cells to maintain tissues, or by disease or tissue injury.

Typically, there is a very small number of stem cells in each tissue and, once removed from the body, their capacity to divide is limited, making generation of large quantities of stem cells difficult. Scientists in many laboratories are trying to find better ways to grow large quantities of adult stem cells in cell culture and to manipulate them to generate specific cell types so they can be used to treat injury or disease. Some examples of potential treatments include regenerating bone using cells derived from bone marrow stroma, developing insulin-producing cells for type 1 diabetes, and repairing damaged heart muscle following a heart attack with cardiac muscle cells.

B. What tests are used to identify adult stem cells?

Scientists often use one or more of the following methods to identify adult stem cells: (1) label the cells in a living tissue with molecular markers and then determine the specialized cell types they generate; (2) remove the cells from a living animal, label them in cell culture, and transplant them back into another animal to determine whether the cells replace (or "repopulate") their tissue of origin.

Importantly, scientists must demonstrate that a single adult stem cell can generate a line of genetically identical cells that then gives rise to all the appropriate differentiated cell types of the tissue. To confirm experimentally that a putative adult stem cell is indeed a stem cell, scientists tend to show either that the cell can give rise to these genetically identical cells in culture, and/or that a purified population of these candidate stem cells can repopulate or reform the tissue after transplant into an animal.

C. What is known about adult stem cell differentiation?

As indicated above, scientists have reported that adult stem cells occur in many tissues and that they enter normal differentiation pathways to form the specialized cell types of the tissue in which they reside.

Normal differentiation pathways of adult stem cells. In a living animal, adult stem cells are available to divide for a long period, when needed, and can give rise to mature cell types that have characteristic shapes and specialized structures and functions of a particular tissue. The following are examples of differentiation pathways of adult stem cells ( Figure 2) that have been demonstrated in vitro or in vivo.

Figure 2. Hematopoietic and stromal stem cell differentiation. Click here for larger image. (© 2008 Terese Winslow)

Hematopoietic stem cells give rise to all the types of blood cells: red blood cells, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and macrophages.

Mesenchymal stem cells have been reported to be present in many tissues. Those from bone marrow (bone marrow stromal stem cells, skeletal stem cells) give rise to a variety of cell types: bone cells (osteoblasts and osteocytes), cartilage cells (chondrocytes), fat cells (adipocytes), and stromal cells that support blood formation. However, it is not yet clear how similar or dissimilar mesenchymal cells derived from non-bone marrow sources are to those from bone marrow stroma.

Neural stem cells in the brain give rise to its three major cell types: nerve cells (neurons) and two categories of non-neuronal cells-astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.

Epithelial stem cells in the lining of the digestive tract occur in deep crypts and give rise to several cell types: absorptive cells, goblet cells, Paneth cells, and enteroendocrine cells.

Skin stem cells occur in the basal layer of the epidermis and at the base of hair follicles. The epidermal stem cells give rise to keratinocytes, which migrate to the surface of the skin and form a protective layer. The follicular stem cells can give rise to both the hair follicle and to the epidermis.

Transdifferentiation. A number of experiments have reported that certain adult stem cell types can differentiate into cell types seen in organs or tissues other than those expected from the cells' predicted lineage (i.e., brain stem cells that differentiate into blood cells or blood-forming cells that differentiate into cardiac muscle cells, and so forth). This reported phenomenon is called transdifferentiation.

Although isolated instances of transdifferentiation have been observed in some vertebrate species, whether this phenomenon actually occurs in humans is under debate by the scientific community. Instead of transdifferentiation, the observed instances may involve fusion of a donor cell with a recipient cell. Another possibility is that transplanted stem cells are secreting factors that encourage the recipient's own stem cells to begin the repair process. Even when transdifferentiation has been detected, only a very small percentage of cells undergo the process.

In a variation of transdifferentiation experiments, scientists have recently demonstrated that certain adult cell types can be "reprogrammed" into other cell types in vivo using a well-controlled process of genetic modification (see Section VI for a discussion of the principles of reprogramming). This strategy may offer a way to reprogram available cells into other cell types that have been lost or damaged due to disease. For example, one recent experiment shows how pancreatic beta cells, the insulin-producing cells that are lost or damaged in diabetes, could possibly be created by reprogramming other pancreatic cells. By "re-starting" expression of three critical beta cell genes in differentiated adult pancreatic exocrine cells, researchers were able to create beta cell-like cells that can secrete insulin. The reprogrammed cells were similar to beta cells in appearance, size, and shape; expressed genes characteristic of beta cells; and were able to partially restore blood sugar regulation in mice whose own beta cells had been chemically destroyed. While not transdifferentiation by definition, this method for reprogramming adult cells may be used as a model for directly reprogramming other adult cell types.

In addition to reprogramming cells to become a specific cell type, it is now possible to reprogram adult somatic cells to become like embryonic stem cells ( induced pluripotent stem cells, iPSCs) through the introduction of embryonic genes. Thus, a source of cells can be generated that are specific to the donor, thereby increasing the chance of compatibility if such cells were to be used for tissue regeneration. However, like embryonic stem cells, determination of the methods by which iPSCs can be completely and reproducibly committed to appropriate cell lineages is still under investigation.

D. What are the key questions about adult stem cells?

Many important questions about adult stem cells remain to be answered. They include:

How many kinds of adult stem cells exist, and in which tissues do they exist?

How do adult stem cells evolve during development and how are they maintained in the adult? Are they "leftover" embryonic stem cells, or do they arise in some other way?

Why do stem cells remain in an undifferentiated state when all the cells around them have differentiated? What are the characteristics of their "niche" that controls their behavior?

Do adult stem cells have the capacity to transdifferentiate, and is it possible to control this process to improve its reliability and efficiency?

If the beneficial effect of adult stem cell transplantation is a trophic effect, what are the mechanisms? Is donor cell-recipient cell contact required, secretion of factors by the donor cell, or both?

What are the factors that control adult stem cell proliferation and differentiation?

What are the factors that stimulate stem cells to relocate to sites of injury or damage, and how can this process be enhanced for better healing?

Previous | IV. What are adult stem cells? | Next

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Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important? What are the unique properties of all stem cells? What are embryonic stem cells? What are adult stem cells? What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells? What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

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Embryonic Stem Cells-How do they grow? DS

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Embryonic Stem Cells-How do they grow? DS

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Embryonic stem cells are grown by transferring the cells to the  prelmplantation-stage embryo and is then placed in a laboratory dish that contains a substance called Culture Medium. In the original protocol of growing these cells, the inside of the dish is lined with mouse embryonic skin cells that is specially treated so the they won't divide. The coating layer in the dish is called the feeder layer and it provides a sticky surface so the cells can attach while duplicating.

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1. Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important?

2. What are the unique properties of all stem cells?

3. What are embryonic stem cells?

4. What are adult stem cells?

5. What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells?

6. What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

7. What are the potential uses of human stem cells and the obstacles that must be overcome before these potential uses will be realized?

8. Where can I get more information?

III. What are embryonic stem cells?

A. What stages of early embryonic development are important for generating embryonic stem cells?

Embryonic stem cells, as their name suggests, are derived from embryos. Most embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized -in an in vitro fertilization clinic-and then donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donors. They are not derived from eggs fertilized in a woman's body.

B. How are embryonic stem cells grown in the laboratory?

Growing cells in the laboratory is known as cell culture. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are generated by transferring cells from a -stage embryo into a plastic laboratory culture dish that contains a nutrient broth known as culture medium. The cells divide and spread over the surface of the dish. In the original protocol, the inner surface of the culture dish was coated with mouse embryonic skin cells specially treated so they will not divide. This coating layer of cells is called a feeder layer. The mouse cells in the bottom of the culture dish provide the cells a sticky surface to which they can attach. Also, the feeder cells release nutrients into the culture medium. Researchers have now devised ways to grow embryonic stem cells without mouse feeder cells. This is a significant scientific advance because of the risk that viruses or other macromolecules in the mouse cells may be transmitted to the human cells.

The process of generating an embryonic stem cell line is somewhat inefficient, so lines are not produced each time cells from the preimplantation-stage embryo are placed into a culture dish. However, if the plated cells survive, divide and multiply enough to crowd the dish, they are removed gently and plated into several fresh culture dishes. The process of re-plating or subculturing the cells is repeated many times and for many months. Each cycle of subculturing the cells is referred to as a passage. Once the cell line is established, the original cells yield millions of embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells that have proliferated in cell culture for six or more months without differentiating, are pluripotent, and appear genetically normal are referred to as an embryonic stem cell line. At any stage in the process, batches of cells can be frozen and shipped to other laboratories for further culture and experimentation.

C. What laboratory tests are used to identify embryonic stem cells?

At various points during the process of generating embryonic stem cell lines, scientists test the cells to see whether they exhibit the fundamental properties that make them embryonic stem cells. This process is called characterization.

Scientists who study human embryonic stem cells have not yet agreed on a standard battery of tests that measure the cells' fundamental properties. However, laboratories that grow human embryonic stem cell lines use several kinds of tests, including:

Growing and subculturing the stem cells for many months. This ensures that the cells are capable of long-term growth and self-renewal. Scientists inspect the cultures through a microscope to see that the cells look healthy and remain undifferentiated.

Using specific techniques to determine the presence of transcription factors that are typically produced by undifferentiated cells. Two of the most important transcription factors are Nanog and Oct4. Transcription factors help turn genes on and off at the right time, which is an important part of the processes of cell differentiation and embryonic development. In this case, both Oct 4 and Nanog are associated with maintaining the stem cells in an undifferentiated state, capable of self-renewal.

Using specific techniques to determine the presence of particular cell surface markers that are typically produced by undifferentiated cells.

Examining the chromosomes under a microscope. This is a method to assess whether the chromosomes are damaged or if the number of chromosomes has changed. It does not detect genetic mutations in the cells.

Determining whether the cells can be re-grown, or subcultured, after freezing, thawing, and re-plating.

Testing whether the human embryonic stem cells are pluripotent by 1) allowing the cells to differentiate spontaneously in cell culture; 2) manipulating the cells so they will differentiate to form cells characteristic of the three germ layers; or 3) injecting the cells into a mouse with a suppressed immune system to test for the formation of a benign tumor called a teratoma. Since the mouse's immune system is suppressed, the injected human stem cells are not rejected by the mouse immune system and scientists can observe growth and differentiation of the human stem cells. Teratomas typically contain a mixture of many differentiated or partly differentiated cell types-an indication that the embryonic stem cells are capable of differentiating into multiple cell types.

D. How are embryonic stem cells stimulated to differentiate?

As long as the embryonic stem cells in culture are grown under appropriate conditions, they can remain undifferentiated (unspecialized). But if cells are allowed to clump together to form embryoid bodies, they begin to differentiate spontaneously. They can form muscle cells, nerve cells, and many other cell types. Although spontaneous differentiation is a good indication that a culture of embryonic stem cells is healthy, the process is uncontrolled and therefore an inefficient strategy to produce cultures of specific cell types.

So, to generate cultures of specific types of differentiated cells-heart muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells, for example-scientists try to control the differentiation of embryonic stem cells. They change the chemical composition of the culture medium, alter the surface of the culture dish, or modify the cells by inserting specific genes. Through years of experimentation, scientists have established some basic protocols or "recipes" for the directed differentiation of embryonic stem cells into some specific cell types ( Figure 1). (For additional examples of directed differentiation of embryonic stem cells, refer to the 2006 NIH stem cell report.)

Figure 1. Directed differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. Click here for larger image. (© 2008 Terese Winslow)

If scientists can reliably direct the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into specific cell types, they may be able to use the resulting, differentiated cells to treat certain diseases in the future. Diseases that might be treated by transplanting cells generated from human embryonic stem cells include diabetes, traumatic spinal cord injury, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, heart disease, and vision and hearing loss.

Previous | III. What are embryonic stem cells? | Next

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Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important? What are the unique properties of all stem cells? What are embryonic stem cells? What are adult stem cells? What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells? What are induced pluripotent stem cells?