Understanding Science - 25
Isaac Huth
The Skeletal Muscle Stem Cell – The Muscle Repair Men
T
he skeletal muscle stem cell was discovered in 1961 in the muscle fibres of skeletal muscle. It was later determined that the cell that had been found was responsible for the repair of skeletal muscle cells (Brack & Brando, 2012). Skeletal muscle is a muscle which is controlled voluntarily such as biceps in the arms or quadriceps in the legs (Reece, et al., 2012). As skeletal muscle is paramount to the survival of humans and other animals, the skeletal muscle stem cell is being researched for a number of reasons including muscle injuries and diseases. The aim in this research is to develop methods using skeletal muscle stem cells to rebuild the damaged muscle from injury (Polesskaya & Rudnicki, 2004). To understand how the skeletal muscle stem cell functions the unique properties and the function of stem cells in general should be understood.
Basics of Stem Cells
Stem cells are cells which are nonspecific and have the ability to both differentiate into specific cells and self-renew. There are two types of stem cells, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are found only in the early stages of development while adult stem cells are found throughout an animal’s body. The main difference between the two is that embryonic stem cells can differentiate into any cell whereas adult stem cells such as skeletal muscle stem cells only develop into certain cells (Reece, et al., 2012). Because of the ability for stem cells to differentiate into specific cells and renew themselves, stem cells act as a repair cell which can replace old, dead or damaged cells in certain parts of the body (Fagan, 2013). Stem cells divide asymmetr...
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...uscle dystrophies such as Duchenne’s which has a similar effect as sarcopenia. The difference between the two is Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy results in skeletal muscle being replaced by connective tissue as a result of satellite cell populations diminishing. The aim of this research is to develop a method to reintroduce muscle stem cells to skeletal muscle to rebuild muscle and prevent the wasting of muscle (Polesskaya & Rudnicki, 2004). The other area of interest for MuSC research is in therapy for muscle injuries which account for 45% of sports injuries. It has been found that MuSC’s can be used to assisting in the healing of muscle injuries. In addition to the proliferation of the stem cells, it was also observed that the MuSC’s can cause the production of paracrine which cause surrounding cells from the body to participate in the healing (Best, et al., 2013).
Muscular Dystrophy is a diverse group of disease which involves the weakness and wasting of muscles and leads to many other problems in physiological system. It is because of mutation in gene related to contraction and relaxation of muscles. Although recently no perfect treatment option is available for it but in nearby future cure of this disease will be available due to advanced technology and methods like gene therapy and stem cell technology.
“Through the isolation and manipulation of cells, scientists are finding ways to identify young, regenerating ones that can be used to replace damaged of dead cells in diseased organs. This therapy is similar to the process of organ transplant, only the treatment consists of the transplantation of cells rather than organs. The cells that have shown by far the most promise of supplying diseased organs with healthy cells are called stem cells.” (Chapter Preface)
New cells are often produced in the body during growth and development. In addition, new cells also develop as the body repairs and remodels its tissues after an injury. These new cells come from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are considered as multipotent cells. MSCs are found in various parts of the body during growth and development, but in adults, they are present in the bone marrow, where they later differentiate, mature and migrate to become more specialized cells with unique functions. These cells' potential to develop into bone cells, cartilage cells, muscle cells and fat cells makes their role in regeneration, repair and remodelling important, especially when the body undergoes the normal process of aging or recovers from disease or injury.
Repair after a muscle is damaged happens through the division of certain cells who then fuse to existing, undamaged muscle fibers to correct the damage. Different muscle types take different amounts of time to heal and regenerate after it has been damaged. Smooth muscle cells can regenerate with the greatest capacity due to their ability to divide and create many more cells to help out. While cardiac muscle cells hardly regenerate at all due to the lack of specialized cells that aid in repair and regeneration. In skeletal muscle, satellite cells aid in helping restoration after injury. Along with muscles, tendons are very important structures within the human body, and they to can be damaged. However, tendon repair involves fibroblast cells cross-linking collagen fibers that aid in not only reinforcing structural support, but also mechanical support as well (“Understanding Tendon Injury,” 2005). While quite different from muscle repair, tendon repair involves the similarity of reestablishing d...
Stem cells have the ability to transform into any kind of cell. These cells can divide and also replenish other cells in the body, such as muscle cells, brain cells, red blood cells, or they may just simply remain as stem cells. Stem cells are able to replicate even after long periods of dormancy. They naturally repair damaged tissues and can be experimentally induced to work with particular tissues and organs (NIH, 2013).
Stem cells are mother cells that have potential to develop into a new different cell in the body. It can self-renew or multiply while developing into other types of cells, for example they can become cells of the blood, heart, bones, skin, muscles and brain. Stem cells were discovered in human cord blood in 1978, and in 1998, Thompson, from the University of Wisconsin, isolated cells from the inner cell mass of early embryos (early stage of an animal or person before it is born) and developed t...
This paper focuses on the benefits of stem cell research in the medical and nursing field. New technology is always being created to help us understand the way the human body works, as well as ways to help us improve diseased states in the body. Our bodies have the ability to proliferate or regrow cells when damage is done to the cells. Take for example the skin, when an abrasion or puncture to the skin causes loss of our skin cells, the body has its own way of causing those cells to regrow. The liver, bone marrow, heart, brain, and muscle all have cells that are capable of differentiating into cells of that same type. These are called stem cells, and are a new medical tool that is helping regrow vital organs in our body to help us survive. Stem cells can come from adult cells, or the blastocyst of the embryo. The cells that come from these are undifferentiated, and can be specialized into certain cell types, making them available for many damaged tissues in the body. While using stem cells in the body is a main use, they are also being used to help doctors understand how disease processes start. By culturing these cells in the lab and watching them develop into muscles, nerve cells, or other tissues, researchers are able to see how diseases affect these cells and possibly discover ways to correct these diseases. While researchers have come very far in using stem cells, there are still many controversies to overcome when using these cells.
As stated on the Neostem website, “Stem cells have remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth.” They are used for cell therapeutics and the advantages are many. They offer a source of renewable cells to replace the damaged or dead cells that can be cause disabilitating ...
To produce the large amount of different cells that are needed for tissue engineering stem cells are used (picture). Stem-cells are undifferentiated cells or ‘base cells’ that have the ability to transform into other forms of cells trough differentiation, such as blood, muscle or fat cells. They are present at conception and some remain in our bodies for our whole lifetime. Their purpose in the body of adults is to repair and produce tissues.9 There are several types of stem cells and they all have different tasks to perform in the body.4 Stem cells are labeled with a series of different potencies aft...
Stem cells offer the capability to develop into many different cell types in the body in the time of early life and growth. Furthermore, in many cell tissues they serve as an internal repair system, dividing almost without
Stem cells are controversial and a heavily debated research area of biology. They are basically the body 's master cells and embody important characteristics. According to Jordan, Guzman, and Noble, “stem cells have three distinctive properties: self renewal, the capability to develop into multiple lineages, and the potential to proliferate extensively” (1253). The characteristic of ...
Stem cells are a type of cell unlike any other inside a human. They have unique properties as to what they are or can become. The U.S. Department of Human and Health Services states, “Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth” (stem cells). Because of this capability, they are the base of every single muscle and tissue in the human body. ”When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell,” or any other type of cell (stem cells). This special kind of cell has opened a new door of possibilities to all of
Stem cells are like master templates and are a vital component of the human body, they maintain and regenerate the organs and tissues throughout your life.
Regenerative medicine also seeks to understand the ability of a tissue or organ to repair itself. Many adult tissue contain stem cells but are at times not functional or is impaired by disease. Using factors to activate and promote instrinsic repair in a diseased organ opens up whole new prospect for therapies targeted toward many degenerative diseases.[9]
Stem cells are a key component of regenerative medicine. They are undeveloped cells capable of proliferation, self renewal, conversion to differentiated cells, and regenerating tissues. [1] In a developing