Biology and Technology in the Real World

¶ … Stem Cells

Hello, my friend. I am truly sorry and sympathize as much as I can regarding your traumatic car accident and subsequent spinal injury. I appreciate that you have kept me abreast of your treatment options. Your team of physicians agree that you would be a fine candidate for treatment specifically with stem cells. Most people have heard of stem cells and are aware of the scientific and ethical controversies surrounding them, but not as many people have performed productive research to find out what they really are and what the possible medical applications (and pitfalls) that come with stem cells. I have taken it upon myself to do some research for you, so that you are in a better position to make a more informed decision regarding this option for treatment of your spinal cord injury. In the next couple of pages, I will do my best to clearly and concisely present to you the basics or fundamentals of stem cells, the potential medical applications, and information regarding the risks that come with stem cell treatment. My intention is for you to feel as confident as possible in your health care team, in your treatment options, and what treatment means for your future.

Stem cells, on a very basic level, are a type of cell that every person possesses, particularly when they are in utero (in the womb as a fetus). Stem cells are a very exciting, promising, yet also risky type of cell, in that they are cells that essentially have the power or capacity to turn into any kind of cell that the body needs more of. (Mayo Clinic, 2013) The National Institute of Health's formal definition of stem cells are:

Stem cells are cells that have the potential to develop into some or many different cell types in the body, depending on whether they are multipotent or pluripotent. Serving as a sort of repair system, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells for as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each "daughter" cell has the potential to either 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. (2013)

Stem cells are exciting to researchers, particularly in the field of medicine, because stem cells have great potential to be used to regenerate damaged or missing tissues. Researchers dream of a world wherein they can harness the power of stem cells in order to regenerate limbs that people may have lost as a result of accidents or wars. (NIH, 2013) Stem cells are what the NIH calls, "the master cells." (2013) All the types of cells (blood, brain, bones, heart, etc.) come from stem cells. Stem cells can program other cells to reproduce in similar cells, or to become new cells with other highly specific functions. (Mayo Clinic, 2013). No other cell has the power to "program" other cells, except stem cells. Again, they proliferate most in embryos. After a certain point in human development, stem cells do not generate naturally; they have to be artificially inserted into the body, which is where your potential treatment would come into play. There are adult stem cells, which are stem cells within adults, and they have similar characteristics to embryonic stem cells, yet again, one important distinction is that they are far more rare in adults than in embryos. (Mayo Clinic, 2013)

While there is significant research, both in quality and quantity, regarding the applications of stem cells, scientists and researchers still do not have a mastery or full understanding of the nature of stem cells. There is plenty of research that clarifies how stem cells operate, yet scientists have not yet reached a point where they have confidence in the control and manipulation of stem cells -- they have not mastered the ability to precisely engineer and monitor stem cells for specific purposes. (NIH, 2013)