Stem Cell Differentiation the Need to Restore

Stem Cell Differentiation

The need to restore the lives of the individuals calls for more of transplantation than that which is available. There are fewer organs, which can help in the transplantation process, which means that overdependence on the process makes it to be reliable. Further, the process may also end up endangering the life of the donator. Transplantation is the only available process that can for the individuals having kidney and lung problems. However, the numbers of individuals who are suffering from kidney and lung failure are always more than those who are ready to supply the needed organs. This calls for an alternative way, which can help in compensating the loss that the individuals face. One of the major alternatives for the process of translation is stem cell differentiation that may occur in any body cell. The stem cells differentiation offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement of cells and tissues, which can help in treating the diseases, related to the kidney and lung failure. Some of the diseases related to the failure of the lungs include Alzheimer's disease, heart diseases and diabetes. Considering the importance of stem differentiation in acting as a substitute for transplantation, there is need to study how the process helps in restoring the lives of the individuals who may have lost either of their organs. This article illustrates some of the inevitable process that the stem cell differentiation process pass with the ultimate result being substituting the action of transplantation. Further, the article also lists some of the obstacles, and their possible solutions, associated with the use of stem cell differentiation.

The use of therapy proves to be beneficial as compared to the use of organ transplantation due to the health defects, which may associate to the latter. The organ transplantation involves incorporating an organ from a third party to the patient meaning there are possibilities of incompatibilities. The patient's immune system may end up rejecting the transplant consequently increasing the death chances. In order to avoid these complications, the patients normally stay dependent on pills for the rest of their lives. This is indifferent to the use of therapy, which does not always require the transfer of organ from a third party.

Mechanism of stem cell differentiation

It is important to study the mechanism of cell differentiation since it shows how the process can help in substituting the transplantation process. The stem cells represent those cells, which have not yet received specialization on the actual process that they should be performing in the body. The stem cell differentiation can usually end up into forming any type of cell in the body hence it is an important process for the patients having Alzheimer disease. In order to discuss the way in which a cell differentiates into different body cells, there is need to discuss the various types of differentiable stem cells (Cui et al., 2003). The stem cells represent those cells, which have not yet received specialization on the actual process that they should be performing in the body. This means that the stem cells have the capability of translating to any cell type in the body; consequently, leading to their association to the substituting the transplantation process. Since the stem cells have not yet received specialization, the medical personnel can always manipulate them in order to form other new cell types. The capability of using the stem cells into replacing other cells implies that the medical personnel can use this mechanism in replacing the transplantation process. It is essential to study the differentiation process associated with the stem cells in order to understand the capability of the stem cells.

The process of cell differentiation often involves the action of two sets of proteins, which enhance the whole process. One set of the proteins helps in binding of one set of the cells while blocking the whole differentiation process. The binding process involves the triggering effect of the proteins, which leads to the binding of the two sets. The binding of the two sets is what leads to the blockage of the whole process. The blocking process usually affects the movement of the existing proteins thereby leading to the screening process. The screening process forms the foundation for the differentiation of the cells.

Function of Tcf15

The Tcf15 plays a role in determining the presence of the differentiation process. This Tcf15 helps in triggering the cell differentiation process through its interaction with DNA. The tcf15 refers to transcription factor 15, a name that describes its function regulating transcription process. The start of the stem cell differentiation normally requires the presence of transcription since it helps in tissue specificity. The Tcf15 protein interacts with the DNA leading to the control of transcription. The binding action of the Tcf15 also contributes to the action of the protein in kicking off the whole process of stem cell differentiation. The binding event related to the Tcf15 has effect in activating the transcription process consequently forming the foundation of the cell differentiation. The Tcf15 contains a signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) comprises of a family of latent cytoplasm signal-dependent transcription factors (Wang, 2012). The STAT is essential for the regulation of genes expressions needed for such processes like proliferation and cell differentiation process.

There is need to study the different categories of cell differentiation in order to understand its substitution action on transplantation. There are five categories stem cell differentiation, that makes it suitable for replacing the need for transplantation including: pluripotent cells, pluripotent stem cells, oligopotent stem cells and unipotent stem cells (Cui et al., 2002). The study of the differentiation of these stem cells would help in illustrating the ability of the differentiation process to replace the transplantation process.

Totipotent stem cell

These stem cells represent those cells, which are essential for the sexual production. The totipotent cells are always useful when there is need to replace any of the sexual production organs. These types of cells normally have the capability of differentiating into any type of cells, especially those related to the sexual reproduction process. The totipotent cells can only develop during the sexual reproduction process since it depends on the fusing of male and female gametes. This means that the totipotent cells can only differentiate during the fertilization, which ultimately leads to the formation of zygote. It is the formation, which contributes to the differentiation process since the cells can lead to the formation of any cell type. Further, the zygote formation is also important for the differentiation of the totipotent stem cells because of the replicative abilities. The replicative ability helps in ensuring that there are enough cells for the differentiation process (Cui et al., 2002). The continuation of the specialization process is what leads to the development of variety of specialized cells with the accompaniment of maturation process. The specialization process, which ultimately leads to the formation specialized cells, needs the presence of continued division and maturation factors associated with the zygote cells (Clark et al., 2003).

Pluripotent stem cells

The pluripotent cells also have the ability of differentiating to different types of cells. This makes the pluripotent cells important in substituting the transplantation process since they can replace the degenerative cells found in any organ. The pluripotent stem cells normally have little specialization meaning that they can easily result to the formation of any type of cell. The medical personnel's can easily manipulate these stem cells in the quest of replacing any degenerative cell. Examples of the pluripotent stem cells include the embryonic and fetal stem cells.

Oligopotent stem cells

The oligopotent cells often have limitation to the result of their differentiation process. They can only result to formation of little new type of cells; consequently, the medical personnel always have little to do with these types of cells in the transplantation process. In difference to the bone marrow cells, the oligopotent stems cells often have no capability of developing into any type of cell (Cui et al., 2002). The differentiation of these cells normally results to the formation of the T cells.

Unipotent stem cells

The unipotent stem cells also have less capability of differentiating to other forms of cells being that they have specialization regarding the type of cells they can form. The futility of these cells in replacing the degenerative tissues always requires the presence of cell division considering that they are a result of a multipotent cell. The multipotent cells always associate to the need for cell division.

Reversion of the stem cells

There are less possibilities of reversal process leading to the formation of the undifferentiated cells provided the adult cells are unipotent in nature. The unipotency nature allows the adult cells to revert only to a one-cell type thereby resulting to the undifferentiated cells. The unipotency nature of the adult cells often restricts the latter into producing on a single cell type. Consequently, it is true that the possibility for undifferentiated cells only occur in the event of unipotency nature. There is always existence of stems that can renew themselves. The ability to renew them is an attribution of unipotency meaning the cells can only reverse a one-cell type (Clark, 2003).

However, it is not always possible to reverse the adult stem cells back to the undifferentiated stem cells. This occurs because of the nature of the adult stem cells, which relates to unipotency. The formation of the adult stem cells normally results from the processes occurring on the undifferentiated cells meaning the reverse of the processes would help in the conversion (Clark, 2003). The undifferentiated cells readily exist among the differentiated cells that are found in the tissues that have the capability of renewing and differentiating themselves. The presence of the stem cells in the body helps in repair and renew of the damaged tissues thereby acting as a natural transplantation process. The ability of the adult stem cells to form differentiated stem cells majorly relies on the multipotency nature. This means that there are little chances, for the adult stem to revert to the undifferentiated stem cells. The multipotency nature of the adult stem cells allows it to form different types of cells because of the accompanying generation of progeny associated with the various cell types (Cui et al., 2002). The progenies generated are for different cell types consequently leading to the formation of undifferentiated cell types. The adult stem cells often have less chances of associating to unipotency, which always leads to the formation of undifferentiated cells. The process associated to the adult stem cells does not have restriction to the need of producing undifferentiated cells. This means that most of the adult stem cells cannot always revert into forming undifferentiated stem cells.

Challenges

The use of stem cell differentiation as a therapy for the patients undergoing failure of some organs always associates to some of the challenges. The use of the stem cell as a therapy can always result to a narrower coronary arteries especially when using the treatment on individuals with heart disease. Even though the use of stem cell therapy may result to proper functioning of the heart, there is an outcome of narrowing of the coronary artery. The use of the stem cell therapy normally involves the mechanism of more differentiation, which may ultimately lead to the increase in number of cells associate to the coronary artery. The increase in the number of cells results to the reduction in the space require for the movement of blood to and from the lungs and heart (Guillot et al., 2007). The formation of new cells, which occupies the coronary artery leads to the narrowing because of the thick covering. This means that individuals receiving this type of treatment would always have adverse effects in the future because of the accumulating number of cells caused by the differentiation process. The use of physical transplantation is suitable in acting as an alternative because of its less association to the coronary artery. Indifference to the stem cells, the transplantation process does not always associate to the coronary artery. Because of the continuous differentiation process, the coronary artery may end up blocking by the fill up of new cells consequently leading to serious problems in the individual. Consequently, the treatment of Alzheimer by the stem differentiation process may result to the defects on the coronary artery (Clark, 2003).

Another challenge facing the use of the adult stem cells in treating such diseases such as Alzheimer is that the cells normally have short storage life. The short storage life of the stem cells means that there is short span for the protection of the individual because of the resulting death of the cells. Further, there is no assurance of lasting protection of the subject patient because of the difficulty associated to isolating and the harvesting process. The isolation process of the cells is often very tough because of the occurrence of the adult cells in the mature tissues. It is often difficult to associate cells found in adult tissues as compared to the young tissues. Further, the limited flexibility of the stem cells also makes it reliable in the treatment process. There is less flexibility associated with stem cells, which makes the transformation process into any type of cell to be tough. Consequently, it is true that the stem cell therapy is less reliable in treatment of a disease. Further, there are also many unknowns, which associate to the adult stem cells. This makes it difficult to identify the genetic defects associated to the disease thereby leading to the difficulty in treatment.

Another challenge results from the limited amount associated to the stem cell available in the bone marrow of an adult. Even though the use of stem cells may prove significant in replacing transplantation process, the amount available may act as the major obstacle in using this process (Gerrard et al., 2005). This makes it difficult for the scientist to use the available amount in a proper way of helping the patients. Much concentration of the stem cells is always in the whole body of an individual and not the bone marrow alone.

Solutions

The solution to the above challenges would involve offering counteracting processes, which will go against the latter. Solving the challenge of the stem cells having a short storage life would involve the process cryopreservation. The process helps in freezing the stem cells in the presence of a nitrogen vapor and at temperatures of below -1500C (Cui, 2001). There is need to avoid the use of the cryoprotectants, at any cost, because of its toxicity and the potential harm it posses for the cells. The administration of the cryoprotectants only occurs when the stem cells survive at the low temperatures of -1500. Further, researchers are still in the process of establishing a non-toxic compound, which can replace the cryoprotectant as a protective agent. The establishment of the non-toxic compound would help in saving the world.

Functions of thiazovivin

The challenge of harvesting and transforming the stem cells, calls for the need of a chemical, which can enhance the whole process thereby increasing the efficiency. The addition of thiazovivin on the bone marrow is significant in increasing the ability of the cells to transform. The use of this molecule helps in doubling the capability of transforming and harvesting the stem cells. The thiazovivin enhances the flexibility of the stem cells besides the transformation ability consequently complementing the availability of the cells. The molecule has the ability of making the cells more flexible (Clark, 2003). However, research is still on to establish the chemicals which can further the solution of improving the transformation ability of the stem cells. Thiazovivin is small molecule, which works towards enhancing the survival of the cells while also increasing their transformation ability. The functioning of the thiazovivin relates to its selective permeability nature. Thiazovivin is selectively permeable meaning that it only allows some substances to pass through while blocking others. Further, it also has a direct target on the Rho-associated kinase (ROCK). The ability of thiazovivin to enhance the survival of the cells depends on its action of controlling the E-cadherin mediated cell-cell interaction (Cui, 2001). The thiazovivin also have an influence on the reprogramming efficiency through its combination with the inhibitors released from the TGF-? receptor. The reprogramming ability of the thiazovivin has a direct relation to the survival of the cells especially during the stem cell differentiation. Thiazovivin increases the reprogramming efficiency by two folds consequently making the stem cells to be flexible especially in the presence of the TGF-? receptor. It is the reprogramming process that allows the TGF-? receptor to regulate the cell migration (flexibility) required in stem cell differentiation.

The need for solving the challenge associated with the less number of available stem cells from the bone marrow calls for the combination of all the other solutions. The combination of the other solution would help in increasing the utility of the limited amount. This would involve application of cryopreservation, which helps in preserving the life of the cells. This ensures that there are less chances of losing the cells through the unnecessary deaths (Clark, 2003). The cryopreservation helps as a protective agent thereby preserving on the number of the stem cells available. Further, the use of thiazovivin also helps in enhancing the utility of the available stem cells because of its actions in increasing the ability of harvesting the cells. The thiazovivin enhances the flexibility of the stem cells besides the transformation ability consequently complementing the availability of the cells.