What are Stem cells?
Stem cells are special cells in the body that can develop into different types of cells. They have two important properties: the ability to make more cells like themselves (self-renew) and the ability to become other cells that do different things (differentiation). Because of these unique abilities, they have great promise for medical treatments and research.
What makes stem cells interesting?
Stem cells are very important because they can help fix damaged tissues and organs. They are crucial for medical research to understand how our bodies develop and how diseases work. Stem cells are also essential for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, offering hope for new treatments that can improve and save lives.
Types of Stem Cells:
- Embryonic stem cells: These cells are derived from embryos at a stage known as the blastocyst and are pluripotent, meaning they can develop into any cell type in the body, holding potential for regenerative medicine and research. While Embryonic stem cell use is controversial due to ethical concerns about embryo destruction, these cells are valuable in studying early human development and developing treatments for conditions like spinal cord injuries, heart disease, and diabetes. Despite their promise, challenges such as controlled differentiation and immune rejection in therapies remain. Ongoing research aims to maximize their potential for medical advancements.
- Adult stem cells: They come from fully developed tissues such as the brain, skin, and bone marrow. There are only small numbers of stem cells in these tissues. They are more likely to generate only certain types of cells. For example, a stem cell that comes from the liver will only make more liver cells.
- Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs): These are mature cells that have been changed to a versatile state, similar to embryonic stem cells. To do this, specific genes are introduced to reset the cells, allowing them to become any type of cell. iPSCs show potential for medical treatments and studying diseases without ethical concerns.
Stem cells Therapy(Regenerative Medicine):
Stem cell therapy (Regenerative Medicine), helps repair diseased, dysfunctional, or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. Its primary use would be in organ transplant, where cells would be used instead of an organ transplant. Researchers grow stem cells in a lab and manipulate them 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. Research has shown that adult bone marrow cells guided to become heart-like cells can repair heart tissue in people, and ongoing research continues. Dr. Anand Srivastava leads the research team at Giostar and has received USA Congressional Recognition for his contribution to the field of Stem Cell Science.
Diseases that can treated with stem cells?
Diseases that can be potentially treated or managed using stem cells
- Neurological Disorders: Parkinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Spinal cord injuries, and Stroke recovery.
- Cardiovascular Diseases: Heart failure, Myocardial infarction (heart attack), Peripheral artery disease.
- Orthopedic Conditions: Osteoarthritis, bone fractures, cartilage defects, tendons and ligament injuries.
- Autoimmune Diseases: Crohn’s disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus.
- Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes (research is ongoing for generating insulin-producing cells)
- Liver Diseases: Cirrhosis, Liver fibrosis.
- Eye Diseases: Age-related macular degeneration, Retinitis pigmentosa.
- Skin Conditions: Severe burns, Chronic wounds.
- Pulmonary Diseases: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Pulmonary fibrosis.
- Kidney Diseases: Chronic kidney disease.
Donating or Harvesting Stem cells:
- Bone marrow: These cells are taken from the hip or pelvic bone. Technicians then isolate the stem cells from the bone marrow for storage or donation.
- Peripheral stem cells: A person receives several injections that cause their bone marrow to release stem cells into the blood. Next, blood is removed from the body, a machine separates the stem cells, and doctors return the blood to the body.
- Umbilical cord blood: Stem cells can be harvested from the umbilical cord after delivery, with no harm to the baby. Some people donate the cord blood, and others store it.
- Adipose tissue: Stem cells can also be harvested from adipose (fat) tissue, typically through liposuction. These cells are abundant and can be stored for future use, offering a less invasive option than bone marrow extraction.
This harvesting of stem cells can be expensive. Still, the advantages for future needs include the stem cells are easily accessible, and less chance of transplanted tissue being rejected if it comes from the recipient’s own body.
Stem cell therapy vs Traditional therapies?
Stem cell treatments may be able to repair damaged tissues and target the root cause of diseases, rather than just managing symptoms like traditional treatments. They could potentially cure conditions such as spinal cord injuries, heart disease, and certain cancers. Additionally, traditional treatments are generally less invasive and more predictable, and stem cell therapy offers the potential for significant improvements. The future of medicine may involve combining both approaches for complete patient care.
Stem Cell Research:
Stem cell research is a global effort to develop regenerative medicine, to treat and cure diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. The United States, the UK, Japan, South Korea, and China are the main hubs of this research. They are making significant progress in stem cell technologies, conducting clinical trials and focusing on developing stem cell therapies, understanding disease mechanisms, and addressing ethical and regulatory issues. Despite progress, challenges remain in ensuring safety, efficacy, and ethical practices.
GIOSTAR is a global organization with specialized stem cell treatment hospitals and research centres located across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South America, and Europe. It is comprised of expert scientists and doctors with the highest credentials in the fields of stem cell science, genetics, and cancer research. The headquarters of GIOSTAR is in San Diego, California, USA. The team is led by Dr. Anand Srivastava, who was one of only 10 scientists in the world to receive the prestigious “Outstanding Achievement Award in Cancer Research” for 2020 at SAASCR’s Annual Meeting.
Ethical Considerations in Stem Cell Research:
Studying stem cells, especially embryonic cells, raises important ethical questions. Even though this research could lead to life-saving treatments, using embryonic cells raises concerns about balancing scientific progress and respecting early forms of life. It’s crucial to make sure that treatments are safe and proven effective, especially as new therapies become available and the industry grows. Because laws vary from place to place, it’s important to pay attention to both scientific and ethical standards when navigating the legal landscape. Giostar takes ethical considerations very seriously.
Medical conditions that affect stem cells:
Several health conditions can affect stem cells, impacting how they work and their ability to regenerate. These conditions include genetic disorders like Fanconi anaemia and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), which reduce stem cell production and function. Autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, can attack and destroy stem cells. Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can harm stem cells and affect their ability to regenerate healthy tissues. Also, ageing can decrease stem cell activity and its capacity to regenerate, which can affect overall health.
How to take care of stem cells:
To keep stem cells healthy and ready for use in treatments and research, it’s important to handle, store, and maintain them properly. This means storing them in controlled environments like incubators with the right temperature and humidity. Long-term storage involves cryopreservation, which requires precise freezing and thawing procedures. It’s crucial to keep their environment sterile during culture and prevent contamination. Regular monitoring and quality control checks are essential to ensure their viability. Following these practices helps maximize the effectiveness of stem cell treatments and research.
What are stem cell supplements?
Stem cell supplements are products that claim to support the body’s natural stem cell function or boost stem cell health. These supplements often contain plant extracts, vitamins, minerals, and compounds that are said to promote stem cell health or stimulate stem cell production. However, scientific research has not thoroughly validated the effectiveness and safety of these supplements. It’s important to talk to your doctor before taking them.
Why does India need stem cell therapy?
In India, stem cell therapy has the potential to treat various conditions such as blood disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and spinal cord injuries. India can become a centre for regenerative medicine with progress in research and healthcare infrastructure. Additionally, the Cancer belt of India, which includes regions like Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, displays high rates of cancer, emphasizing the importance of innovative treatments like stem cell therapy.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embryonic_stem_cell
https://www.india.gov.in/institute-stem-cell-biology-and-regenerative-medicine-instem