| Resources: Stem Cells Transplant Stem Cell Treatment Where Do Stem Cells Come From Grow Teeth Stem Cells Stem Cells And Tendon Regeneration Free Articles: Stem Cell Treatment Adult Stem Cells Embryonic Stem Cell Adult Stem Cell Research Stem Cell Transplant Stem Cell Therapy Obama And Stem Cell Research | In 1981, British scientist Sir Martin Evans isolated the first animal embryonic stem cells. In 1998, American scientist Jamie Thomson led a team that derived the first human stem cells. While little was known about stem cells in animals or people, researchers saw great potential in getting to know these versatile cells, which could hold the key to regeneration and the creation of natural replacement tissue. There are two types of stem cells research. One involves the use of embryonic stem cells and the other involves the use of adult stem cells. The embryonic cells come from a one-week-old mass of cells called a blastocyte. Many of the fetal stem cells come from in vitro fertilization patients who had leftovers after receiving fertility treatment. A single embryo can create enough lines of cells for use in stem cell therapies. Tissue from aborted fetuses is not regularly used in stem cell research. What makes an embryonic stem cell so special is that it can develop into any organ or tissue. Stem cell therapies can help treat diseases like heart or Parkinson's disease, as well as burn or stroke victims and patients with spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, arthritis and diabetes. The latest stem cell news is that the FDA has approved the use of embryonic stem cells to treat spinal cord injuries, with human trials expected to begin as early as this summer. Geron Corporation has produced masses of specialized cells called "oligodendrocyte precursor cells," which can be injected into the spine at the site of an injury to produce myelin and stimulate nerve regrowth. The human trials will involve 8 to 10 patients who have sustained complete spinal cord injuries below the third to tenth vertebra. Patients will be selected who have suffered their injuries within 14 days, scientists say, and patients will be monitored for signs of improvement for at least one year. In recent stem cell news, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) and Massachusetts General Hospital discovered that a medication for bone marrow cancer can affect osteoporosis in mice by acting upon mesenchymal stem cells, which differentiate into several tissue types. "Stem cell therapies are often thought of as putting new cells into the body," said David Scadden, director of the MGH Center for Regenerative Medicine, "but this study suggests that medications can turn on existing stem cells that reside in the body's tissues, acting as regenerative medicines to enhance the body's own repair mechanisms." Therefore, instead of relying on controversial embryonic stem cells, a person's own stem cells can be used in the treatment. Related search: Yahoo Bing | HOME |