Stem Cell Research in the Area of Cardiothoracic Surgery A patient has just had an immense stroke, and approximately 30,000 cardiac cells have died. The heart cannot reproduce these lost cells, and there are cardiac cells still dying. What is the doctor to do to help solve this problem? This issue is the area in which the ideology and use of stem cells come into play. Stem cells are, “Multipotent, undifferentiated cells capable of multiplication and differentiation (Paolo and Markwald).” Thus, these stem cells can be utilized in a patient to allow for the heart to reproduce new cells and keep functioning properly. The stem cells can be manipulated to create the internal organ or part of the body that is malfunctioning. There have been many
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The human adult heart is comprised of approximately five billion heart cells, all pulsing in a particular pattern with every heartbeat. These cells can be destroyed by high blood pressure, blood clots, heart attacks, and other various forms of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, the Harvard Stem Cell Center has observed and noted in its Heart Disease Journal, “The heart has an age-related block in its ability to make new heart cells so that damaged cells are not replaced in the latter half of life, precisely when we need them the most (Harvard).” It was additionally noted in Harvard’s Heart Disease Journal that even typical patients with heart failure lose over a billion heart cells. Therefore it can be pointed out that the research on stem cell research is crucial for the reconstruction of the heart. Thankfully, however, the task is made a bit easier because both embryonic stem cells and pluripotent stem cells can be used to help the heart …show more content…
Mice in the trials were injected with cardiac resident cells, cells that are to replace dead cells lost during a myocardial infarction(heart attack) and then reproduce to keep the heart functioning at full power (Lee, et. al 1229). These results of this study were retrieved by using immunofluorescence imaging. That is the process of using an individual dye in the stem cells, so they are visible on an x-ray imaging device. As Lee and his peers were observing the progress of the stem cells in the mice, they noticed that the stem cells started off great with integration and reproduction in the heart (1238). However, at approximately twenty-eight days after the stem cells were injected the scientists noticed that there was a significant decrease in the original number of stem cells that were injected into the mice(1238). The reasoning behind why the stem cells were decreasing is unknown and the scientists behind the study are quoted saying, “Just as the mechanism of stem cells exerting benefit on myocardial function remains to be fully elucidated, the mechanism of their elimination over time also remains poorly
The human adult heart is comprised of approximately five billion heart cells, all pulsing in a particular pattern with every heartbeat. These cells can be destroyed by high blood pressure, blood clots, heart attacks, and other various forms of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, the Harvard Stem Cell Center has observed and noted in its Heart Disease Journal, “The heart has an age-related block in its ability to make new heart cells so that damaged cells are not replaced in the latter half of life, precisely when we need them the most (Harvard).” It was additionally noted in Harvard’s Heart Disease Journal that even typical patients with heart failure lose over a billion heart cells. Therefore it can be pointed out that the research on stem cell research is crucial for the reconstruction of the heart. Thankfully, however, the task is made a bit easier because both embryonic stem cells and pluripotent stem cells can be used to help the heart …show more content…
Mice in the trials were injected with cardiac resident cells, cells that are to replace dead cells lost during a myocardial infarction(heart attack) and then reproduce to keep the heart functioning at full power (Lee, et. al 1229). These results of this study were retrieved by using immunofluorescence imaging. That is the process of using an individual dye in the stem cells, so they are visible on an x-ray imaging device. As Lee and his peers were observing the progress of the stem cells in the mice, they noticed that the stem cells started off great with integration and reproduction in the heart (1238). However, at approximately twenty-eight days after the stem cells were injected the scientists noticed that there was a significant decrease in the original number of stem cells that were injected into the mice(1238). The reasoning behind why the stem cells were decreasing is unknown and the scientists behind the study are quoted saying, “Just as the mechanism of stem cells exerting benefit on myocardial function remains to be fully elucidated, the mechanism of their elimination over time also remains poorly