We live in an exciting age, where cutting edge technologies are being created and implemented everyday. It is nearly impossible to keep up with it all, or to understand how these new developments will affect us personally. But it is amazing to explore the capacities of medical science, and ponder todays experimental technology may one day save our lives or transform our world.

One such technology is stem cell therapy. Stem cells are the wild cards of the body they can become anything. In developing embryos, stem cells are what eventually become every type of cell. This is why the most versatile stem cells are drawn from embryos and umbilical cords. In adults, stem cells are used to repair and replace damaged or diseased tissue.

Two main features categorize a stem cell. Stem cells have the capacity of self-renewal, which means they can divide and reproduce while still maintaining their universality (called the undifferentiated state). They also have potency, which means they are capable of differentiating into specialized types of cells. Different stem cells are categorized by this potency, which determines their versatility.

As mentioned above, stem cells can be drawn from embryos, aborted fetuses, amniotic fluid, umbilical cords, and adult cells. Adult stem cells can be taken from bone marrow, fat tissue, and blood. Regular adult stem cells can also be genetically reprogrammed to have pluripotent (self-renewing, regenerating, universal) capabilities. Adult stem cells taken from the intended recipient (autograph) are the most easily accepted by the body, though other types of stem cell injections are showing potential in research studies. Stem cells can also be artificially created.

Why Stem Cell Therapy May Be More Effective than Conventional Transplants

Stem cell therapy is becoming a popular area of study because of its versatility. Certain types of stem cells, called progenitor cells, can be used to produce whatever type of cell is missing.

Many transplants of tissues, cells, and organs fail because the immune system of the hosts body rejects the implanted cells, believing them to be invaders. But stem cells get past that defense mechanism. Since the stem cells are modified to become the types of cells needed by a particular organ and reproduce accordingly, the body is more likely to accept them. Stem cells drawn from the intended recipient are even more effective, with a nearly perfect acceptance record.

Bone marrow transplants are the most common form of stem cell therapy, and the only ones approved for regular use in most countries. They have been practiced effectively for over 30 years. Bone marrow transplants are most frequently given to leukemia and lymphoma patients who have undergone chemotherapy treatment.

The Ethical Questions

Stem cell therapy is a hugely controversial topic that raises philosophical, moral, and religious inquiries. Using embryonic stem cells is forbidden by the Catholic Church along with abortion, but the Vatican approves the use of amniotic stem cells. The belief operating here is that life actually begins at conception, and to use any part of a human, even one who has not yet been born, is a form of cannibalism. Most scientists argue that life begins at birth, and unborn fetuses are still simply a collection of cells with vast potential to help living people.

The other main objection has to do with whether scientists should be engaged in human cloning. Many people believe that artificial stem cell production and even some types of cell modification are analogous to cloning, which is still generally considered morally abhorrent.

The most acceptable form of stem cell therapy is autologous, when the cells come from the intended recipient.

Potential Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy

The most successful research thus far has been for preventing graft vs. host disease in people receiving traditional implants, and for treating patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Giving a person receiving a transplant a dose of the appropriate type of stem cell results in a much greater likelihood of the body accepting the transplant without triggering an immune system attack.

Treatment with neural stem cells has been researched to explore the possibility of curing Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Research has been done or is underway for such applications as gene therapy, curing blindness, restoring hearing, repairing spinal cord injuries, replenishing organs, reversing baldness, healing wounds, and enabling more effective blood transfusions.

There is also the possibility of using stem cells to treat heart disease. Stem cells may generate the growth of heart muscles cells, which can replace damaged heart tissue.

While bone marrow transplants have been performed for a few decades, in general stem cell therapy is a groundbreaking science. It raises profound questions about the nature of human life, when life actually begins, and how much power can safely be given to scientists. But stem cell therapy has the potential to save millions of lives in ways that conventional medicine cannot. It could also improve quality of life for countless more people. It will be some time before stem cell therapy becomes a common practice, but it does seem that it is the way of the future for medical technology.