We must start at the basic, what are cells? Cells are the basic unit of living things. We all have trillions upon trillions of cells that make up our body. Our body has three main cell types which are: Ectoderm, Mesoderm, and Endoderm. Ectoderm cells are in the skin, hair, eyelids and nerves cells for bones, Mesoderm cells are in muscles, tendons blood vessels and kidney construct the linings of two tubes within the body and Endoderm cells are in digestive tubes and respiratory tube. There are also stem cells.” Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have two defining properties: the ability to differentiate into other cells and the ability to self-regenerate.” (Kochar)There are different types of stem cells; embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are meant for growth. Some come different parts of our bodies and also known as building block cells. Adult stem cells repair cells. Alexander Maksimov, Russian histologist, who discovered and forwarded the existence of stem cells as part of his theory of hematopoiesis in 1908. He came up with the term stem cells. Adult stem cells serve to replace specialized cells if it needed. These cells cannot reproduce like embryonic stem cells. Unlike Embryonic stem cells, these cells cannot make all cell types in the organism, though they can generate multiple types. They are specialized for specific body parts. There are 3 different types of Adult Stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells and Endodermal stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells are meant to replace blood cells. They are the most important stem cells because they construct the body. Mesenchymal stem cells are for the replace cartilage, bone, tendons, heart muscle, nerves, ligaments, hearing... ... middle of paper ... ...B. Hurlbut. http://alterednucleartransfer.com/index.php?page=4a&view=1. Bethesda (April 28, 2002). Stem Cell Basics. National Institute of Health, turning discovery into health. http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics1.aspx. Kochar,Preeti Gokal. (December 2004)What are stem cells?. http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/stemcell/overview.php. Murnaghan,Ian. (5 October 2013 ) Totipotent Stem Cells. Exploring stem cells. http://www.explorestemcells.co.uk/TotipotentStemCells.html. New Hope Fertility Center. (n.d) Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjL2XoNIO54 RepressedGeek.(n.d). Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbZiOiPVG6c. Kaulitzki, Sebastian. (June 28, 2010). Scientists Grow New Lungs Using 'Skeletons' of Old Ones. Science Daily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100624092522.htm.
Stem cells are the building blocks of the human body. Embryos consist of unspecialized stem cells that transform into the various specialized cells in the body such as cardiac, muscle or bone cells. Fetuses also have stem cells. However, the stem cells are divided into types like muscle, bone or nerves and don't perform a specialized function. Surprisingly, adult bodies also contain stem cells. In adults, stem cells are undifferentiated but limited to specific tissue type. When needed, the stem cells transform into the cells needed for repair and maintenance. The most common source of adult stem cells is bone marrow. Researchers also acquire stem cells from umbilical cords. Without stem cells, embryos could not develop into fetuses and adult
The body is composed of cells, which form the basic unit of life. Unique cells found in the body are the stem cells. These cells are biological cells that are not specialized for particular functioning in organisms. They can be distinguished since they have the ability to differentiate or divide into multiple body cells, and their ability to replicate self. They are unique in the way they can renew themselves by undergoing cell division when inactive for a long period. It is also possible to induce stem cells to organs or tissue cells under some conditions. When the cells divide, they replenish the cells in a living organism. They serve as an internal system that repairs and replaces the tissues that are worn out.1 Dividing cells may remain as stem cells or become specialized in their functions, for instance red blood cells, brain or muscle cells.
Skloot gains credibility by describing researchers who took different approaches to culturing cells. A French surgeon at the Rockefeller Institute named Alexis Carrel grew his “immortal chicken heart.” Many researchers believed it was not possible to have tissues living outside of the body, and Carrel proved them wrong by growing a sliver of chicken-heart tissue in culture successfully. Doctor George Gey was the head of tissue culture research at Johns Hopkins Hospital where Henrietta was treated for her cancer. Dr. Gey, along with his wife, had spent years trying to grow cells outside of the human body in search of the cause and cure for cancer. Most cells they tested either died or hardly grew. In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Skloot writes, “The Geys were determined to grow the first immortal human cells: a continuously dividing line of cells all descended from one original sample, cells that would constantly replenish themselves and never die” (30; ch. 3). Little did they know, they were about to grow the first immortal human cells, using cells they removed fro...
As the healthcare field continues to grow and evolve at an accelerated rate, new and advanced technologies are sprouting up everyday and becoming increasingly commonplace. A technology that has garnered both positive and negative attention is transplanting stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells refer to the body's blood forming blood cells (American Cancer Society, 2013). Here is some background information on these types of stem cells. These cells are young and immature.
8. "Stem Cell Basics." National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009. Web. .
Stem cells help us to maintain and heal our bodies, as they are undifferentiated cells, their roles are not yet determined. They have the ability to become anything during early life and growth. Stem cells come from two sources, namely: embryonic stem cells (embryo’s formed during the blastocyst phase of embryological development) and adult stem cells (see figure 3).
Embryonic stem cell research is the medical study of cells taken from embryos before they are able to implant into a uterus. This procedure – harvesting the cells – ultimately destroys the embryo rendering it non-viable and unable to sustain life. Adult stem cell research is simply the study of stem cells harvested from adults and used in many areas of medicine. Numerous groups are opposed this sort of research because they feel it infringes on the right to life, while others do not believe that an embryo that has spent five days in a petri dish should be considered a human. In the 1800’s the first discovery of stem cells occurred. This discovery proved that some cells could spawn other cells. However, it was not until the early 1900’s that research demonstrated stem cells could generate blood cells. This was very promising in the medical community at that time since so many diseases ran rampant and were incurable. During the infancy of stem cell research, both animal and human stem cells were used. Now, for medic...
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – National Institutes of Health (2009) Stem Cell Basics [ONLINE] Available http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics6.aspx (Accessed 30 March 2014)
Stem Cell Basics. In Stem Cell Information [World Wide Web site] Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009 [cited Friday, November 08, 2013] Available at stemcells.nih.gov
Alexander A. Maximow is the scientist credited the most for the naming of stem cells (Who Discovered 1). Dr. Maximow was not only a scientist but, a physician and a biologist as well (Who Discovered 1). On February 1, 1961, Dr. James Till and Dr. Ernest McCulloch of the OCI institute, on accident, found proof of stem cells during radiation research (Stem Cell Research Timeline 1). Scientists theorizing the idea of stem cells had occurred well before hand but there wasn’t proper technology to research these cells thoroughly. Although this was just the beginning, the research of stem cells progressed quite rapidly. Despite the speedy discoveries, many sidetracks such as congress having banned fetal tissue research on July 12, 1974 had slowed the research just a small quantity (Stem Cell Research Timeline 1). Only 14 years later, the “Human Fetal Tissue Transplantation Research Panel reopens the question and votes 18-3 to appro...
A stem cell is a special type of ‘starter’ cell that can grow into any kind of adult tissue. It is basically a ‘blank’ cell that can adapt and become a differentiate cell type like a nerve cell, a bone cell, or a skin cell. They are a foundation for every cell, tissue and organ in your body.
"Stem Cell Research Timeline." Stem Cell History. N.p., February 1, 2011. Web. 16 Feb 2012.
MSU, Jeremy. "Tiny 3D-Printed Liver Slices Pave Way for Growing Organs." LiveScience.com. Live Science, 06 Nov. 2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2013.
There are two main types of cells in the world. The simplest cells such as bacteria are known as Prokaryotic cells, and human cells are known as Eukaryotic cells. The main difference between each of these cells is that a eukaryotic cell has a nucleus and a membrane bound section in which the cell holds the main DNA which are building blocks of life.
The field of regenerative medicine encompasses numerous strategies, including the use of materials and de novo generated cells, as well as various combinations thereof, to take the place of missing tissue, effectively replacing it both structurally and functionally, or to contribute to tissue healing[29]