Blood Stem Cells

Blood Stem Cells

STEM CELL Introductions Stem cells have the remarkable  potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early... 08:01:00

STEM CELL

Introductions

Stem cells have the remarkable  potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many  tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish  other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential  either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a  muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.

    Stem cells are  distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are specialized cells capable of  renewing themselves through cell division, sometimes after long periods of inactivity. Second, under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs, however, such as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special conditions.

    Until recently, scientists  primarily worked with two kinds of stem cells from animals and humans: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic  "somatic" or "adult" stem cells. The functions and characteristics of these cells will be explained in this document.  Scientists discovered ways to derive embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos more than 30 years ago, in 1981. The detailed study of the biology of mouse stem cells led to the discovery, in 1998, of a method  to derive stem cells from human embryos and grow the cells in the laboratory. These cells are called human  embryonic stem cells. The embryos used in these studies were created for reproductive purposes through  in vitro fertilization procedures. When they were no longer needed for that purpose, they were donated for research with the informed consent of the donor. In 2006, researchers made another breakthrough by identifying conditions that would allow some specialized adult cells to be "reprogrammed" genetically to assume a stem cell-like state. This new type of stem cell, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), will be discussed in a later section of this document.

    Stem cells are important for living organisms for many reasons. In the 3- to 5-day-old embryo, called a blastocyst, the inner cells give rise to the entire body of the organism, including all of the many specialized cell types and organs such as the heart, lungs, skin, sperm, eggs and other tissues. In some adult tissues, such as bone marrow, muscle, and brain, discrete populations of adult stem cells generate replacements for cells that are lost through normal wear and tear, injury, or disease.

    Given their unique regenerative abilities, stem cells offer new potentials for treating diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease. However, much work remains to be done in the laboratory and the clinic to understand how to use these cells for cell-based therapies to treat disease, which is also referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.

Laboratory studies of stem cells enable scientists to learn about the cells’ essential properties and what makes them different from specialized cell types. Scientists are already using stem cells in the laboratory to screen new drugs and to develop model systems to study normal growth and identify the causes of birth defects.
Research on stem cells continues to advance knowledge about how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Stem cell research is one of the most fascinating areas of contemporary biology, but, as with many expanding fields of scientific inquiry, research on stem cells raises scientific questions as rapidly as it generates new discoveries.

Benefit & Advantages

Adult stem cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat a myriad of diseases, conditions and disabilities. Adult stem cells are relatively quiescent (inactive) cells, particularly in organisms where cell turnover is low, yet they can mount a rapid and strong response to tissue stress and injury.
Adult stem cell transplants (bone marrow transplants) have been used for over 40 years in successfully treating cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma and lymphomas, and research has now opened the doors to regenerative and reparative therapeutics. There has been an increase in adult stem cell therapy clinical trials which are showing great promise in the areas of skin and wound healing, orthopedics, and in treating diseases including peripheral vascular disease, scleroderma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, and much more.
- See more at: http://www.neostem.com/about/adult-stem-cells/#sthash.HZS3vgxx.dpuf

Adult stem cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat a myriad of diseases, conditions and disabilities. Adult stem cells are relatively quiescent (inactive) cells, particularly in organisms where cell turnover is low, yet they can mount a rapid and strong response to tissue stress and injury.
Adult stem cell transplants (bone marrow transplants) have been used for over 40 years in successfully treating cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma and lymphomas, and research has now opened the doors to regenerative and reparative therapeutics. There has been an increase in adult stem cell therapy clinical trials which are showing great promise in the areas of skin and wound healing, orthopedics, and in treating diseases including peripheral vascular disease, scleroderma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, and much more.
- See more at: http://www.neostem.com/about/adult-stem-cells/#sthash.HZS3vgxx.dpuf

Adult stem cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat a myriad of diseases, conditions and disabilities. Adult stem cells are relatively quiescent (inactive) cells, particularly in organisms where cell turnover is low, yet they can mount a rapid and strong response to tissue stress and injury.
Adult stem cell transplants (bone marrow transplants) have been used for over 40 years in successfully treating cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma and lymphomas, and research has now opened the doors to regenerative and reparative therapeutics. There has been an increase in adult stem cell therapy clinical trials which are showing great promise in the areas of skin and wound healing, orthopedics, and in treating diseases including peripheral vascular disease, scleroderma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, and much more.
- See more at: http://www.neostem.com/about/adult-stem-cells/#sthash.HZS3vgxx.dpuf

Adult stem cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat a myriad of diseases, conditions and disabilities. Adult stem cells are relatively quiescent (inactive) cells, particularly in organisms where cell turnover is low, yet they can mount a rapid and strong response to tissue stress and injury.


Adult stem cell transplants (bone marrow transplants) have been used for over 40 years in successfully treating cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma and lymphomas, and research has now opened the doors to regenerative and reparative therapeutics. There has been an increase in adult stem cell therapy clinical trials which are showing great promise in the areas of skin and wound healing, orthopedics, and in treating diseases including peripheral vascular disease, scleroderma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, my ocardial infarction, and much more.

Why and how this thing so value in future?

The history of research on adult stem cells began about 50 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, fat, cells that support the formation of blood, and fibrous connective tissue. 

The history of research on adult stem cells began about 50 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, fat, cells that support the formation of blood, and fibrous connective tissue. - See more at: http://www.neostem.com/about/adult-stem-cells/#sthash.HZS3vgxx.dpuf