:: HOME ::
~Stem Cells~
:: What are they? ::
:: Uses ::
:: Stem Cell Assays ::
~Cloning~
:: How it works- Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer ::
:: Uses ::
:: Problems/Issues ::
"We are not static beings. Our tissues turn over constantly and there must be cells that remember the form" [of the original organ].
--James L. Sherley, Assoc. Professor of Biological Engineering in MIT's Center for Environmental Health Science and Center for Cancer Research
Adult stem cells can serve many purposes, since they are pluripotent and can differentiate into many types of bodily cells. Currently, adult stem cell transplants are used to treat white blood cell cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma. Investigation is under way to employ stem cells in the treatments of many other illnesses, such as heart disease and Parkinson's disease. Some examples are listed in the links above.
One problem, however, with using adult stem cells, is that they are pluripotent and thus can only differentiate into certain classes of cells. Some scientists have considered the use of human embryonic stem cells, which are totipotent, as "universal repair kits." Theoretically, a differentiation factor can cause these cells to grow into anything - heart cells, islet cells, etc. However, the need for human embryos in the process has prompted much controversy in the past few years. |
All rights reserved.