Stem Cell Research
“What cured my son
was the fact that we were able to replace defective cells with new cells that
didn’t have a genetic mutation. We believe that stem cell research, we’ll be
able to do that for diseases that affect many people worldwide.” This was said by Paulina Treviño in regards to stem cell research. Stem cells, some are created by a
human embryo. Some say this is wrong, others say there is no harm from taking
it from couples that have too many blastocysts than they need, so they donated
it to research. What are the outcomes compared to the downside? The outcome is
a new chance for life. The benefits to stem cell research outweigh the downside
of taking embryos, with these studies and funding, the benefits to the medical
community will be outstanding. Although there are many moral and ethnical
issues regarding this topic, it will be of new beginnings and chances for
others.
Stems cells are different than all
other cells. They are unspecialized cells that are capable of renewing themselves
though cell division. They can do this sometimes after long periods of
inactivity. Stem cells have the ability to become tissue or organ-specific
cells with very special functions. Few stem cells can only divide under special
conditions. Most of the time stem cells have the capability to be what is
needed of them. There are three different kinds of stem cells. From animals and
humans, scientist used embryonic stems cells, and somatic, or adult stem cells.
In 1998 scientist discovered human
embryonic stem cells, which uses embryos from in vitro fertilization called
blastocysts. Stem cell research began in the mid 1800’s when it was found that
come cells could generate others. In the early 1900’s, scientists the first real
stem cells generated blood cells. Scientists then also created the first stem
cell transplants, by mouth, for patients with anemia or leukemia. These
transplants were unsuccessful, but it did path the way for others. Mice were used to conduct experiments; it was
found that mice with bad bone marrow could be restored by a transplant. These
finding led others to discover human capabilities. After a radiation incident
in France, stem cell transplants were needed. In 1958 Jean Dausset realized
that the donor and recipient needed to match. The immune system of humans has
human leukocyte antigens, which determine what belongs in the body and what
does not. If what is put in doesn’t match, the body rejects it, and it created
antibodies and other substances to destroy what was injected. The first kind of
transplant that confirmed what the immune system does was a bone marrow
transplant on a pair of twins. It was the one of the first transplants in
humans that was successful. In 1998 James Thompson found stems cells from
embryos. He developed the first embryonic stem cell lines, which has led to
many controversies now in the future.
In a health poll taken by Charlton
Research Company in 2005, it was found that 56% of people asked said that stem
cell research using excess embryos from fertility clinics did not cause an
ethical dilemma because the embryos would have been discarded anyways. 35% did
care, and said that it does pose an ethnical dilemma because they are
potentially viable human embryos. Nine percent did not care either way. Out of
all the people asked, only 17% are following the issue very closely. If someone
is not following an issue closely enough, how are they judging that the
research is ethnical or unethical? Stem cell research has pros and cons, and
every opinion is important. Pros include the treatment of many illnesses and
even cure too. The effects on a person’s social life could be enhanced also.
Many people with diseases tend to invert themselves, with a cure or treatment,
their social abilities may extend further and that may help their treatment and
will to live grow. The potential for economic gains for a society is an
important part. If a society can have more control over certain diseases, it
may strengthen it tremendously; therefore stem cell research is ethnical. Cons
include the aspect of religion; certain people think that scientists are “playing
God” and that it is wrong. Scientists are also interfering with human life. Taking
of a life, whether it is started, or having the potential to start, is murder.
Therefore stem cell research is unethical. Using adult stem cells is
progressing, and many think that the scientists should wait until this method
grows to do more research. It is more “ethnical.”
Stem cell research facilities are
all around the world, including: North and South America, United Kingdom and
Republic of Ireland, Continental Europe, Mideast, Asia-Pacific, and also in Australia.
Most facilities are in North America. There are many sites and organizations to
get stem cell research into clinics. One organization is Americans for Cures. This
organization is an advocate for all forms of stem cell research. They want to
make stem cell research legal in every state, and loosen federal restrictions
on research. They also want to expand funding and establish safety guidelines
for therapies and research.
One research facility at the
University of Pittsburgh has scientists and physicians working 24/7 to expand
possibilities. They have moved from treating symptoms to treating cause. This facility is led by Dr. Johnny Huard.
They use technology such as cellular techniques, observation, and analyzation
to find answers about cellular research. Each member has projects and individual
skills are used. Even though the United States as a lot of controversy about
whether stem cell research is ethnical or not, other countries have different opinions.
Germany has a majority of its experts that expect more people are going to be
open-minded. Embryonic stem cell research in Germany is becoming more popular
and the legal restrictions are said to in the future become more relaxed. Although
Germany is supposed to in the future become more relaxed, it is still highly
controversial. The main worry, like the United States, is the question of ethnical
or unethical. Debates include the balance of freedom of research and protection
of an embryo. Many debates focus on the difference between stem cell research
and the decisions to get an abortion. Finding a balance between protecting
embryos, obtaining new research to help cure illnesses, and protecting freedom
of research is hard in Germany, but it is being worked toward.
The United States has made history
in stem cell research in 2011. Scientists have created stem cells tailored to
an individual. It is a step in the right direction for treatments to diabetes
and Alzheimer’s. In this experiment scientists used the same technique that
they used in producing Dolly the sheep in 1997. Scientists had to try two times
to achieve success in this experiment. First time they removed genetic material
from an unfertilized human egg which they took chromosomes from the skin cell
of a diabetic patient and inserted them into the egg; it failed. The second
time they left the genetic material, and an embryo developed to form a blastocysts.
The only downfall of this experiment is that because stem cells contain too
many sets of chromosomes, they cannot be used to treat patients yet. New
research is trying to find a way of producing a normal set of chromosomes, and
this new development was very significant in the process to new treatments.
In the Dominican Republic stem cell
therapy is available. Since the United States’ Food and Drug Administration had
not yet approved this stem cell therapy because its effectiveness had not been
tested, a Florida cardiologist, Dr. Zannos Grekos, had started his own company,
Regenocyte Therapeutic in Santiago. This doctor claims to have successfully used
adult stem cells to treat heart and lung disease. Dr. Grekos says that he and
his associated draw blood which they send to a laboratory in Israel. In this
laboratory they produce “regenocytes,” which is defined by the company as “a
stem cell that has been activated to become a target organ.” He has told CNN
that it works, although they have not been reviewed by other researchers. When
CNN did more research they talked to Dr. Irving Weissman, who is the
president-elect of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. He told
CNN that there is not a cell called a regenocyte. He was not impressed with Dr.
Grekos giving families false hope and that there is no scientific backing to
this procedure. Although Dr. Weissman says there is no truth, Dr. Grekos has
given about 100 patients stem cell therapy in the past 18 months. He makes no
promise to his patients. His license was restricted and he was ordered not to perform
any more stem cell treatments. Sadly, while doing therapy, illegally, in early
2012 a patient went into cardiac arrest and passed away. Dr. Grekos charged
$64,500 for a stem cell transplant and none of it was covered by insurance. The
process was very costly and unstable, and resulted in a casualty. It shows that
certain countries have reasons for protocols, and if other countries do not, it
is not always a good outcome.
Germany has the oldest stem cell
center in Europe. It is called the XCell Stem Center and is located in
Dusseldorf. It has been in operation for the last five years and Germany has
strict requirements for using stem cells. In Germany they are considered a drug
and need to meet the standards for approval. The director and founder is Dr. C.
H. Kleinbloesem. The center is located in a major hospital with latest
diagnostic equipment to monitor patients; they treat about 50 patients a week. In
neurological conditions, for harvesting a patients bone marrow cells, the large
hip bone is used. The cells are then processed though a specialized lab, and
then injected directly into the lumbar spinal canal. The reason they use the
spinal canal is so the stem cells directly go into the spinal fluid which is
the direct route to the neurological tissues. Another condition the XCell
center treats is wet macular degeneration. The center treats this disease, which causes
vision loss, with an injection of stem cells. The injection is given under the
eye placing the stem cells adjacent to the macular area. The center is also
planning to begin a process that injects stem cells much close to the retina to
have a beneficial affect, much like we do with another medication in the United
States. The XCell center has done over 200 cases and the findings are only
one-third that has no response. The other two-thirds have either a good
response or a fantastic response. Dr. Kleinbloesem has good hopes and has also discussed
alternative methods that could improve the results of stem cell therapy.
There is a tremendous need for stem
cells in our world. There is research being done on blood disorders, cancer,
genetic disorders, diabetes, heart disease, immune disorders, intestinal
disease, kidney, lung and liver disease, muscular dystrophy, and neurological
disorders. The list is extensive, and in time, there may be even more promise
in medicine. With patients, and scientific discovery, there could be cures
forming for diseases we wouldn’t have been able to think of. In time, stem cell
treatment looks very promising for all patients, for the young and the old.
Cancer does not discriminate, it can
affect any patient. Cancer is mostly treatable if it is caught early. However,
some still continue to grow even after doctors and patients give their best
efforts. A possible explanation is that cancer cells with stem cell properties
give cancer the way to grow even after treatment such as radiation or
chemotherapy. These are known as “cancer stem cells.” Cancer, although still
has no 100% cure has promising research. Scientists are looking at what cancer
stem cells can teach them. At Children’s Hospital Boston they are working at
treating leukemia and other blood cancers with bone marrow transplants, trying
to boost blood cell production in patients undergoing treatment, and finding
differences between healthy blood stem cells from leukemia stem cells. They are
also searching for stem cells in lung cancer, and finally finding new ways to
attack skin cancer stem cells.
Children have no control over
genetic disorders but Children’s Hospital Boston is doing their best to give
the children the best shot at living as normal a life as possible. Stem cells
are showing them that children with Down syndrome can develop leukemia but
still be resistant to other types of cancer, treating children with sickle cell
disease with transplants, and studying the heart’s own cardiac stem cells.
David Breault, a doctor at Children’s
Hospital Boston is studying small intestine’s stem cells. The highly specialized
cells are resistant to typical injuries and help with healing in result to an
injury. He is interested in an enzyme which allows unlimited division of stem cells.
If he could learn more about this and how cells are regulated it may lead to
treatment for intestinal disease. Along with Breault, Jordan Kreidberg, another
doctor at Children’s Hospital Boston is conducting research on kidney stem
cells in order to find treatments for conditions that lead to failure of
kidneys that is irreversible. They have identified the genes that effect kidney
development and are interested in using them to coax kidney stem cells, in
order to use with embryonic stem cells into functional kidney cells to be used
for a transplant. If this would work, then the doctors would be helping kidneys
heal themselves.
Many premature babies develop lung disease;
it can also be part of a birth defect. Cystic fibrosis one of the most common
lung diseases. Stem cells will more than
likely be a very important part in repairing damaged tissue and function.
Scientists are looking to find and study the different molecules that regulate
the lung cells that are needed to function if they are damaged. Dr. Kim is the
head of the team at Children’s Hospital Boston, and are working on
understanding and treating diseases such as emphysema and lung cancer. She is
one of the only scientists in the world that knows how to isolate, cultivate,
and study lung stem cells. She is mainly looking at what makes a lung stem
cell. Once she learns what makes the cells, it will lead to creating ways to
treat lung diseases with stem cells. Another doctor, named Stella Kourembanas,
is exploring different ways to heal babies with underdeveloped lungs. She may
be able to use adult bone marrow stem cells. This would give babies a chance at
life, and extend their chances of survival more than they would be with other
medications and procedures. Overall scientists are looking for new ways to help
the patients and look for new cures. Stem cell research seems very promising,
but perfecting the process will take some time.
The way stem cells are retrieved is dependent
on what kind of stem cells it is. Adult stem cells can be taken from the body itself,
amniotic fluid, pluripotent stem cells, or from other adult
stem cells. The way stem cells are retrieved from the body itself can be from
the blood found in the umbilical cord, a persons circulating blood, and can be
isolated from bone marrow from the brain and spinal cord. After the stem cells
are isolated, they need to be grown to a large enough size so that they can be
used for treatment purposes. Amniotic fluid, which a fetus is surrounded by in
its mother’s womb, contains mesenchymal stem cells. These are able to make a variety
of tissues. Pluripotent stem cells are able to create all types of cells and
tissues. These are also functionally similar to embryonic stem cells. Lastly,
from other adult stem cells they can be retrieved, but it is unknown how
versatile adult stem cells really are, and if it could have a reliable effect
in the lab for patients.
Embryonic
stem cells, or pluripotent stem cells, are the most controversial subject. These cells are made using embryos or eggs,
rather than cells. “True” embryonic stem cells are made from unused embryos
that are donated by couples who have undergone in vitro fertilization. The embryos
are placed in special dishes and develop for a few days. On the fifth day, it
reaches the blastocysts stage and then it is isolated for future use. These
cells can be used for any kind of treatment, which is why they are so good.
Another way embryonic stem cells can be used is by being “tricked” into developing
into embryos without being fertilized by sperm by chemicals. The embryos are developed
in the lab for several days, and then stem cells can be derived from them. This research could make so a woman could
donate her own eggs to create stem cells, in return she wouldn’t reject if she
needed them by her immune system.
Funding
for stem cells is another controversial topic in the United States. In August
2010 there was a ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, in
turn this made for more exploration of how stem cells function and how other
ways they could be harnessed to treat many diseases. Others have tried to life
the ban before in 2009, including the Obama Administration and Arnold
Kriegstein, a medical doctor who is one of the nation’s top researches in the
field. Kriegstein
said, "This is a victory not only for the
scientists, but for the patients who are waiting for treatments and cures for
terrible diseases, this ruling allows critical research to move forward,
enabling scientists to compare human embryonic stem cells to other forms of
stem cells, such as the cell lines which are derived from skin cells, and to
pursue potentially life-saving therapies based on that research." The ban of funding occurred from the
court case Sherly v. Sebelius. The case had said that when the Obama
Administration lifted a ban on federal funding for research in 2009, it
violated the 1996 Dickey-Wicker Amendment. This amendment had banned using
taxpayer funds in research that destroyed embryos. The appeals court ruled
against the amendment, and funding was continued.
In other countries funding is not as big, although Germany was given a generous amount by its German Research Foundation in 2010. It gave a new Collaborative Research Center for adult stem cells an amount over 10 million Euros. The funding has covered four years, and the research center has focused on self-maintenance and differentiation of stem cells. In 2009 Britain after an effort to lead the world in stem cell research came to a halt. The grant applications may had been blocked by scientists who were against cloning by hybrid embryos that were made from mixing human cells with eggs of cows, pigs, or rabbits. If their hybrid embryos would have worked, it could eventually allow doctors to create embryonic stem cells from a patient’s skin and where scientists could design individual treatments for heart disease, Parkinson's and diabetes. Overall the problem was lack of funding, and they did not know if it was worth perusing or not. Overall, the funding in 2009 was never received, and the application was never resubmitted.
In other countries funding is not as big, although Germany was given a generous amount by its German Research Foundation in 2010. It gave a new Collaborative Research Center for adult stem cells an amount over 10 million Euros. The funding has covered four years, and the research center has focused on self-maintenance and differentiation of stem cells. In 2009 Britain after an effort to lead the world in stem cell research came to a halt. The grant applications may had been blocked by scientists who were against cloning by hybrid embryos that were made from mixing human cells with eggs of cows, pigs, or rabbits. If their hybrid embryos would have worked, it could eventually allow doctors to create embryonic stem cells from a patient’s skin and where scientists could design individual treatments for heart disease, Parkinson's and diabetes. Overall the problem was lack of funding, and they did not know if it was worth perusing or not. Overall, the funding in 2009 was never received, and the application was never resubmitted.
Although
there are many downsides of stem cell research, the outcomes can be endless.
Stem cells have the possibility of being anything. Us as human beings need to
realize that we need new cures to survive, most importantly, survive cancer.
Although stem cell can involve human embryos, we should not put a halt to the
research. The government may stop new cells from being harvested, but the
research of the ones always taken and revived for science should be able to be
used. Scientists have spent a lot of money and time into the efforts of stem
cell research, and may sill have a chance to change the outcome of otherwise
bad events. The benefits to
stem cell research outweigh the downside of taking embryos, with these studies
and funding, the benefits to the medical community will be outstanding. No one
will know where science is heading; we will only know when we get there.
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