Stem Cells In Use

In 1968, doctors performed the first successful bone marrow transplant. Bone marrow contains somatic stem cells that can produce all of the different cell types that make up our blood. It is transplanted routinely to treat a variety of blood and bone marrow diseases, blood cancers, and immune disorders. More recently, stem cells from the blood stream (called peripheral blood stem cells) and umbilical cord stem cells have been used to treat some of the same blood-based diseases.

Somatic Stem Cell Therapy: Using a Bone Marrow Transplant to Cure Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of white blood cells, or leukocytes. Like other blood cells, leukocytes develop from somatic stem cells. Mature leukocytes are released into the bloodstream, where they work to fight off infections in our bodies.

Leukemia results when leukocytes begin to grow and function abnormally, becoming cancerous. These abnormal cells cannot fight off infection, and they interfere with the functions of other organs.

Successful treatment for leukemia depends on getting rid of all the abnormal leukocytes in the patient, allowing healthy ones to grow in their place. One way to do this is through chemotherapy, which uses potent drugs to target and kill the abnormal cells. When chemotherapy alone can't eliminate them all, physicians sometimes turn to bone marrow transplants.

In a bone marrow transplant, the patient's bone marrow stem cells are replaced with those from a healthy, matching donor. To do this, all of the patient's existing bone marrow and abnormal leukocytes are first killed using a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. Next, a sample of donor bone marrow containing healthy stem cells is introduced into the patient's bloodstream.

If the transplant is successful, the stem cells will migrate into the patient's bone marrow and begin producing new, healthy leukocytes to replace the abnormal cells.

New evidence suggests that bone marrow stem cells may be able to differentiate into cell types that make up tissues outside of the blood, such as liver and muscle. Scientists are exploring new uses for these stem cells that go beyond diseases of the blood.

Peripheral Blood Stem Cells

While most blood stem cells reside in the bone marrow, a small number are present in the bloodstream. These peripheral blood stem cells, or PBSCs, can be used just like bone marrow stem cells to treat leukemia, other cancers and various blood disorders.

Since they can be obtained from drawn blood, PBSCs are easier to collect than bone marrow stem cells, which must be extracted from within bones. This makes PBSCs a less invasive treatment option than bone marrow stem cells. PBSCs are sparse in the bloodstream, however, so collecting enough to perform a transplant can pose a challenge.

Source: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/stemcells/sctoday/

How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?

Stem cell therapy requires new healthy cells to be introduced into affected tissues in order for the disease, disorder or injury to be treated. Stem cells can renew themselves, as well as produce a generation of new cells that possess the ability to multiply further. One example is the replacement of neural cells found in the brain and the spinal cord by healthy stem cells. These cells create brain and spinal cord cells, with the new cells possessing the ability to multiply. All of these regenerative cells can then repair any damage in the injured or diseased cell area. The possibilities are nearly limitless for medical advancement in stem cell therapy, as the stem cells can grow into almost any type of cell and therefore regenerate and repair damaged areas.

Stem Cell Therapy for Cancer Treatment and More

Stem cell therapy has also found a very useful application in the treatment of cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy often destroy cells. These cells can now be replaced by stem cells that effectively adapt to the area that has been affected. Some areas where this therapy works well are the brain, lungs, heart, liver and essentially almost every other area on the human body. Besides cancer treatment, the stem cell therapy can be carried out to replace any kind of dead cell with healthy new cells. This is all due thanks to the fact that stem cells are highly flexible. Due to the potential of stem cells, research and investment is being poured into expanding the field of regenerative stem cell therapy.

Source: http://dohealth.net/blog/