An Overview Of Stem Cells
Stem cells cannot be categorized into any types of cells present in the human body. These cells have the potential of developing into different cell type such as skin, muscle bone etc. They are normally found in embryos and adult tissues. The cells are considered important because they have the capacity of becoming different type of cell present in human body.
The difference between Embryonic and Adult cells is, the former cells are not localized to any tissue, whereas the Adult Cells are localized to some tissues called tissue of origin. In simple language, while all cells in human body are able to make exact replica of themselves by division. The stem cells are able to make their own replica as well as replica of any cell in the human body.
Embryonic Stem Cells:
These types of cells are gained from 4-5 day old human embryo during blastocyst phase of embryo development. In IVF fertilization treatment, many eggs are fertilized in test tube resulting in many embryos. Only one embryo is planted into woman while the other embryos can used to gain stem cells.
Adult Stem Cells:
Adult cells develop in human body after embryonic development stage. The different tissues where such cells are found are bone marrow, blood vessels, liver, brain, blood and skeletal muscles. They continue to lie in the tissue in a non-activated stage after embryonic development and get activate by tissue injury or disease. These cells can lie in dormant stage for years in the tissue. Adult cells have the capacity of regenerating entire organ by process of division. They also have the ability to produce different types of cells in the organ depending on the tissue they lie in. Their ability to generate types of cells is limited to their tissue of origin.
Stem cells are currently used in treating different medical conditions related to Heart, Diabetes, Brain disease, Injuries and other conditions.
Heart attack:
It is the most common causes of death worldwide. Heart attacks cause permanent and irreversible damage to heart cells. Medications do improve the conditions. However, effect of dead tissue and scarring has ill effects on normal functioning of the heart. It is now possible to construct artificial heart components with help of stem cells. The artificial tissue grown in laboratory can be transplanted in the heart to improve its functioning.
Brain Disease:
Many brain diseases lead to killing of brain cells. The brain cells regenerate very slowly. Scientists now say that stem cells therapies can be used to speed up the generation of new cells in the brain.
Diabetes:
Diabetes Type 1 is a condition where patient’s immune system attacks cells of pancreas that produce insulin. Diabetes Type 1 can be cured by using stem cell therapy. Scientists from South Korea have achieved success in cloning embryos and creating stem cells that help in curing diabetes Type 1.
Many medical conditions other than mentioned above can be cured by Stem Cell therapies. Some of them are Blindness, spinal cord damage, baldness, repair of damaged bones and joints.
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