Stem cells can be used to effectively treat or reverse all types of diseases. These cells have the ability to specialize into any type of cell, such as neurons or red blood cells. This ability makes stem cell research an important aspect of finding cures or new treatments to common diseases. Researchers manipulate stem cells to treat common diseases by carrying out stem cell transplants. These transplants, also known as bone marrow transplants, infuse healthy stem cells into the patient’s body to replace damaged or disease ridden ones. The stem cells can come from the patient, a relative of the patient (related transplant), or an unrelated donor who’s stem cells are compatible with the patient (unrelated transplant). The stem cells that are
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SCID is an immunodeficiency disorder that causes the immune system to severely malfunction. If the immune system malfunctions severely, the patient would not be able to fight off the most common viral or bacterial infections. If SCID is not treated immediately, it is almost always fatal within the first year of life. Stem cells have been used to treat SCID with great effectiveness with over 240 documented cases. After the transplant was carried out, over 73% of the patients were still alive 5 years later. Although the survival rate after a transplant is not 100%, it provides new hope as the survival rate after a transplant is greater than that of patients who did not receive …show more content…
The organs created by the stem cells would not be rejected by the immune system because the patient 's stem cells would be used to create the organ. Also, there would not be a great demand for donors because the organs could be synthesized. A study performed by the stem cell biologist, Takanori Takebe, should that it was possible to create liver “buds”, small, functional, pieces of liver, for mice. The liver buds were able to function and even kept the mouse alive for 2 months after its liver was disabled. The liver bud was not rejected because stem cells from the mouse were obtained and used to create the bud. This transplant did not require immune suppressing drugs or any sort of donor. Although it would take thousands of buds to efficiently filter the blood, replacement buds could be used to help the original liver to function without the need of a whole transplant. It is believed that other organs such as stomachs could also be created using stem cells from the patient 's skin. Stem cells can not only make organs, but also tissue. Muscle cells rarely reproduce meaning that the muscle cells that one is born with are usually the same muscle cells that the same person will die with. Muscle cells created by stem cells could be used to aid the recovery process of certain injuries. This would not only cut the recovery time, but it would most likely aid in the rehabilitation process because the muscle
SCID is an immunodeficiency disorder that causes the immune system to severely malfunction. If the immune system malfunctions severely, the patient would not be able to fight off the most common viral or bacterial infections. If SCID is not treated immediately, it is almost always fatal within the first year of life. Stem cells have been used to treat SCID with great effectiveness with over 240 documented cases. After the transplant was carried out, over 73% of the patients were still alive 5 years later. Although the survival rate after a transplant is not 100%, it provides new hope as the survival rate after a transplant is greater than that of patients who did not receive …show more content…
The organs created by the stem cells would not be rejected by the immune system because the patient 's stem cells would be used to create the organ. Also, there would not be a great demand for donors because the organs could be synthesized. A study performed by the stem cell biologist, Takanori Takebe, should that it was possible to create liver “buds”, small, functional, pieces of liver, for mice. The liver buds were able to function and even kept the mouse alive for 2 months after its liver was disabled. The liver bud was not rejected because stem cells from the mouse were obtained and used to create the bud. This transplant did not require immune suppressing drugs or any sort of donor. Although it would take thousands of buds to efficiently filter the blood, replacement buds could be used to help the original liver to function without the need of a whole transplant. It is believed that other organs such as stomachs could also be created using stem cells from the patient 's skin. Stem cells can not only make organs, but also tissue. Muscle cells rarely reproduce meaning that the muscle cells that one is born with are usually the same muscle cells that the same person will die with. Muscle cells created by stem cells could be used to aid the recovery process of certain injuries. This would not only cut the recovery time, but it would most likely aid in the rehabilitation process because the muscle