Container Top
Homes   Jobs   Cars   Shopping
Search

Events Calendar

EVENT SEARCH:

In This Section


Most Read Stories


Blogs:


Pets:
It Takes All Kinds

The Heldenfiles:
Tuesday Notebook

Patrick McManamon:
An interesting thought from a reader

Akron Zips:
Akron vs. Mount Union — Liveblog

Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates

Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback

Kent State Sports:
Flashes interested in another Cincinnati player

Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships

Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes Roll 100-60 / Season Outlook

Varsity Letters:
Report: Walsh baseball player commits

All Da King's Men:
More On The Fort Hood Jihadist

Blog of Mass Destruction:
Simply Incapable of Telling The Truth

Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (63) Commonwealth Fund Report on Primary Care

See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler

Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks

Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing

Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.

Sound Check:
Aeromsith looking for new singer as Steven Tyler contemplates solo career

HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio

Akron Gamer:
Video: 'Modern Warfare 2' hits the streets

Stem cells Q&A

Q: Have embryonic stem cells been used to treat human disease?
A: No. In fact, embryonic stem-cell research has not yet moved beyond rodents. Embryonic stem cells have not been used in any human clinical trial in the United States.
Q: Have adult stem cells been used to treat human disease?
A: Yes. Stem cells harvested from bone marrow have been used to treat leukemia and other blood cancers for over three decades.
Q: Are adult stem cells showing promise in treating other diseases?
A: Yes, though most of the research is still in very early stages. Clinical trials in humans and animals have shown positive results in repairing damaged hearts, in developing insulin-producing cells for diabetes, in producing dopamine-producing cells in Parkinson's patients, in taming autoimmune disorders, in modifying genes to reduce side effects of chemotherapy and in regenerating bone, muscle, skin and organs. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood have been used to treat leukemia, other blood cancers and some blood disorders, like sickle cell anemia, while also showing promise in treating diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune diseases and cerebral palsy.
Q: So why not rely solely on adult stem cells for research and forget about embryonic stem cells?
A: Scientists believe that embryonic stem cells have a greater potential than adult stem cells because they more easily grow into any cell type. While adult stem cells can give rise to many different cell types, no adult stem cell has been found that can give rise to all cell and tissue types. Adult stem cells are present in small quantities, which makes them difficult to isolate and purify. And adult stem cells may contain more abnormalities, caused by sunlight, toxins and errors in making copies during the course of a lifetime. Still, one major drawback of embryonic stem cells is that scientists have been unable to control the type of tissue they form or how fast they grow. If stem-cell growth can't be controlled, it will result in a tumor.
SOURCES: The National Institutes of Health,
the National Center for Regenerative
Medicine

Q: Have embryonic stem cells been used to treat human disease?
A: No. In fact, embryonic stem-cell research has not yet moved beyond rodents. Embryonic stem cells have not been used in any human clinical trial in the United States.
Q: Have adult stem cells been used to treat human disease?
A: Yes. Stem cells harvested from bone marrow have been used to treat leukemia and other blood cancers for over three decades.
Q: Are adult stem cells showing promise in treating other diseases?
A: Yes, though most of the research is still in very early stages. Clinical trials in humans and animals have shown positive results in repairing damaged hearts, in developing insulin-producing cells for diabetes, in producing dopamine-producing cells in Parkinson's patients, in taming autoimmune disorders, in modifying genes to reduce side effects of chemotherapy and in regenerating bone, muscle, skin and organs. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood have been used to treat leukemia, other blood cancers and some blood disorders, like sickle cell anemia, while also showing promise in treating diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune diseases and cerebral palsy.
Q: So why not rely solely on adult stem cells for research and forget about embryonic stem cells?
A: Scientists believe that embryonic stem cells have a greater potential than adult stem cells because they more easily grow into any cell type. While adult stem cells can give rise to many different cell types, no adult stem cell has been found that can give rise to all cell and tissue types. Adult stem cells are present in small quantities, which makes them difficult to isolate and purify. And adult stem cells may contain more abnormalities, caused by sunlight, toxins and errors in making copies during the course of a lifetime. Still, one major drawback of embryonic stem cells is that scientists have been unable to control the type of tissue they form or how fast they grow. If stem-cell growth can't be controlled, it will result in a tumor.
SOURCES: The National Institutes of Health,
the National Center for Regenerative
Medicine

Get the full article here.


Story tools

Email  Email   Print  Print   Save  Save   Reprint  Reprint   Popular  Most Popular   Reprint  Subscribe

Share this story

AddThis Social Bookmark Button
















Most Commented Stories