Stem Cell Research: A Promising Field with a Significant Impact on Human Health

Posted by Janice on November 2nd, 2021

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with unlimited self-renewal potential. They are capable of developing into a variety of different cell types in the body. Stem cells, based on their origin, can be categorized into embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells,which can be derived from a very early stage in human development and have the potential to produce all cell types of the body. Adult stem cells are found in the various tissues and organs of the human body. Compared with embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells have a more limited ability to give rise to various cells of the body. These two types of stem cells are powerful research materials that can be used for gaining a better understanding of the basic biology of the human body.

Stem cell research is one of the most fascinating areas of contemporary biology, and holds enormous potential for medicine and human health. Stem cell research includes studies to determine their basic function and how they can be used in the clinic to aid in tissue repair and regeneration. The field of stem cell therapy is rapidly developing, and many preclinical research and clinic trials have been initiated to explore the use of stem cells in the treatment of many diseases and for the repair of damaged or lost tissues.

?  Repairing the nervous system with stem cells

Many nervous system diseases are caused by the loss of nerve cells. Neural stem cells (NSCs) have great potential for restoring neuronal function in neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is characterized by a profound and selective loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Cell therapies based on NSC transplantation for the treatment of various neural defects and injuries in animal models and clinical trials have been widely investigated.

?  Stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are pluripotent stem cells generated from somatic cells. They could be used to create an unlimited supply of cells, tissues, or even organs without considering issues such as tissue-matching compatibility and immunotoxicity.

In the treatment of type 1 diabetes, the supplementation of pancreatic β?cells is considered one of the most potentially effective treatments. The emergence of autologous iPSC technology has demonstrated the potential to differentiate large numbers of patient-specific iPSCs from somatic cells into pancreatic beta cells. These iPSC-derived pancreatic cells couldovercome the shortage of effective materials for transplant therapy and avoid immune attack and rejection.

?  Mesenchymal stem cells cancer therapy

Stem cell-based therapies have shown huge therapeutic potential in treating a variety of human diseases. In particular, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered a promising source of stem cells for personalized cell therapy. It has been shown that MSCs exhibit significant tropism for the tumor microenvironment and support or suppress malignant cell growth depending on the tumor model tested.

Moreover, MSCs interact closely with tumor stem cells (CSCs). MSCs are able to release multiple agents with pro-tumor and anti-tumor effects, which affect survival, proliferation and angiogenesis among other cell functions.

In the past few years, advances in stem cell studies have incontestably led to the hope of developing cell replacement-based therapy for diseases that cannot be effectively treated by conventional methods. As more research is conducted, stem cell therapies may also hold the key to extending human lifespan.