Stem Cell Research Facts

Stem cell research is an ongoing activity of interest among the researchers of this field. Since quite some time, researchers have been investigating the stem cells of animals for their potential use in treating incurable diseases. Along with some success, stem cell research has also made us confront ethical issues. Let us discuss about them all.

Stem Cell Research Facts

• Stem cells are found in most of the multicellular organisms. These cells can regenerate themselves by mitosis and differentiation. Stem cells found in mammals can be classified as embryonic stem cells found in blastocysts and the adult stem cells in the adult tissues. Cell culture can be used to grow and transform stem cells into specialized cells.
• Apart from being able to renew on their own, the stem cells can differentiate into specialized types of cells. This capacity in the stem cells is known as potency. Multipotent stem cells can produce cells of a closely related group while unipotent stem cells can produce just one cell type. Totipotent cells are produced from the fusion of the egg and the sperm cells. During the first few divisions, that a fertilized egg undergoes, it produces totipotent cells. Germ layer is a collection of cells formed during animal embryogenesis. Pluripotent cells can differentiate into the cells, which are derived from any of the germ layers.
• Embryonic stem cells are cell cultures that are derived from the epiblast tissue of the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, an embryo that is 4-5 days old. Human embryonic stem cells need the basic fibroblast growth factor. Embryonic stem cells still remain untested. An adult stem cell is a cell that is found in a developed living being. Adult stem cells can create a cell like themselves as well as more differentiated cells. Mostly they are multipotent. These cells have shown success in treating blood or bone cancers.
• Research has shown that stem cells can, not only differentiate into specialized cell types but they also retain their capacity to regenerate themselves by cell division. Stem cells of the inner cell mass in blastocysts develop into other tissues of the body. The multipotent stem cells in adults act as the wear and tear system of the body. Science has not yet been able to conclude on the presence of pluripotent stem cells in adults.
• As stem cells can repair damaged tissues, they can be used to cure certain diseases related to brain or heart damages and the spinal cord. Stem cells have a potential use in gene therapy as well. Embryonic stem cells are supposed to be of great use in the treatments for nervous system disorders.

History of Stem Cell Research
Though stem cell research is looked at, as a modern research that can bring about a revolution in human life, the early research related to stem cells can be traced to the 1960s. It was then that Joseph Altman and Gopal Das came up with the evidences of neurogenesis in adults, which is a stem cell activity in the human brain. This was followed by the discovery of haematopoietic stem cells in human cord blood in the year 1978. The bone marrow transplant between two siblings to cure severe combined immunodeficiency marked the first success in the research in stem cells. In 1997, a direct testimonial of cancer stem cells was brought about when leukemia was shown to evolve from haematopoietic stem cells. In 2006,some English scientists created the first artificial liver cells with the help of the umbilical cord blood stem cells. The stem cell research continues. It bears a potential to cause a far-reaching change in the stem cell theory.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Gail Martin, Matthew Kaufman and Martin Evans discovered the mouse embryonic stem cells. It was Gail Martin who coined the term 'embryonic stem cell'. Later in 1998, James Thomson brought about the first human embryonic stem cell line. Embryonic cells are totipotent. They require specific signals for their desired differentiation. Their injection into human body may result in their differentiating into different types of cells. This may lead to teratoma, meaning a tumor. Moreover, their transplant has a risk of getting rejected by the human body. There has been some research in the field of embryonic cells but no proven treatments have been devised till date. Recently, that is in January 2008 researchers were able to develop the human embryonic stem cells without destroying the embryo.

Ethics of Stem Cell Research
Production of embryonic cells requires the destruction of an embryo. An embryo holds the potential of a human life. If made to be in the womb, it can develop into a new human being thus giving birth to a new life. For creating the embryonic stem cell line, human embryo has to be destroyed and this destruction could mean depriving a human being of its right to live. The factor that outweighs the ethical wrongs in the destruction of an embryo is the application of stem cells in cell therapies. Some say that embryos are not humans. They also argue in favor of stem cell research saying that there is some percentage of zygotes, which do not implant and they are wasted. They think it a better option to use embryos for obtaining stem cells. Using adult stem cells is an alternative and a golden mean between the two extreme ideologies. But embryonic stem cells are superior in many ways than the adult stem cells. They divide rapidly, have a greater plasticity and can be used to treat a wider range of diseases. There are many obstacles to be overcome, some medical, some ethical. It is after all about saving a life at the cost of a potential one. The biggest question before the society is, what is the cost of a human life?