STEM CELL THERAPY

STEM CELL THERAPY

WHAT ARE STEM CELLS ?

• Stem cells are the body’s raw materials — cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated.
• Under the right conditions in the body or a laboratory, stem cells divide to form more cells called daughter cells.

• These daughter cells become either new stem cells or specialized cells (differentiation) with a more specific function, such as blood cells, brain cells, heart muscle cells or bone cells.
• No other cell in the body has the natural ability to generate new cell types.

Stem cells are of the following different types:

• Embryonic Stem Cells
• Adult Stem Cells
• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
• Mesenchymal stem cells

SOURCE OF STEM CELLS

There are several sources of stem cells:

• Embryonic stem cells. These stem cells come from embryos that are 3 to 5 days old. At this stage, an embryo is called a blastocyst and has about 150 cells.
• Adult stem cells. These stem cells are found in small numbers in most adult tissues, such as bone marrow or fat.
• Compared with embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells have a more limited ability to give rise to various cells of the body.
• Scientists have successfully transformed regular adult cells into stem cells using genetic reprogramming.
• By altering the genes in the adult cells, researchers can reprogram the cells to act similarly to embryonic stem cells.
• Perinatal stem cells. Researchers have discovered stem cells in amniotic fluid as well as umbilical cord blood. These stem cells have the ability to change into specialized cells.

STEM CELL THERAPY AND ITS FUNCTIONING:

• Stem cell therapy, also known as regenerative medicine, promotes the repair response of diseased, dysfunctional or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives.
• It is the next chapter in organ transplantation and uses cells instead of donor organs, which are limited in supply.
• Researchers grow stem cells in a lab.
• These stem cells are manipulated to specialize into specific types of cells, such as heart muscle cells, blood cells or nerve cells.
• The specialized cells can then be implanted into a person. For example, if the person has heart disease, the cells could be injected into the heart muscle.
• The healthy transplanted heart muscle cells could then contribute to repairing the injured heart muscle.
• Researchers have already shown that adult bone marrow cells guided to become heart-like cells can repair heart tissue in people, and more research is ongoing.

APPLICATIONS OF STEM CELL THERAPY

Following are the important applications of stem cells:

Tissue Regeneration:

• The stem cells can be used to grow a specific type of tissue or organ.
• This can be helpful in kidney and liver transplants.
• The doctors have already used the stem cells from beneath the epidermis to develop skin tissue that can repair severe burns or other injuries by tissue grafting.

Treatment of Brain Diseases

• Stem cells can also treat diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.
• These can help to replenish the damaged brain cells. Researchers have tried to differentiate embryonic stem cells into these types of cells and make it possible to treat diseases.

Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

• A team of researchers have developed blood vessels in mice using human stem cells.
• Within two weeks of implantation, the blood vessels formed their network and were as efficient as the natural vessels.

MAJOR CHALLENGES IN STEM CELL THERAPY

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the capacity to self-renew and differentiate into specialized cells under given conditions.

However, there are several challenges and controversies in stem cell therapy that need to be addressed

• Ensuring manufacturing consistency throughout the whole process along with a formal safety assessment of the product are the major challenges faced in stem cell therapy.
• Stem cell therapies are highly expensive, and it is difficult for developing nations to keep pace with technological advancements
• Lack of skilled human resources, poor infrastructure, and no government support halts research every year in developing nations.
• Moreover, the poor socioeconomic status of the population does not encourage the adoption of stem cell therapies even after research.
• Post-transplant stem cell distribution Improper localization of stem cells after transplantation is a major problem and therefore, it is necessary to be able to monitor cell distribution into the host after administration.

STEM CELL BANKING

• Stem cell banking is the process of procuring precious stem cells from human body, processing and storing them for potential future use in stem cell treatments.
• Stem cell banks use low temperatures to preserve the biological properties of stem cells, protect them from contamination and degeneration.
• Standardized and quality controlled preservative procedures are required for any stem cell bank in order to preserve the cells for longer periods of time without losing their properties.
• Preserving stem cells obtained from baby’s umbilical cord blood at the time of delivery ensures a healthy future for not just your baby but the entire family.

SYLLABUS: MAINS, GS-3, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS, THE MAYO