Stem cell research takes two primary forms: adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Each cell line that is harvested offers the opportunity to develop new treatments that may help to stop a plethora of diseases that affect humanity. Cord blood treatments that involve stem cells have helped to treat more than 6,000 people and 60+ diseases and that is just the beginning of what this medical research may offer.
One of the primary advantages of stem cell research is the availability of cell lines and that they can be obtained ethically. Adult stem cells can be harvested from healthy individuals by accessing their bone marrow and other tissue sources. Embryonic stem cells can be obtained from cord blood taken after the umbilical cord has been removed.
As for
…show more content…
Here are the key points to look at.
What Are the Advantages of Stem Cell Research?
1. Adult stem cells have low rejection rates.
Therapies can be developed from adult stem cells that are taken from each patient. These cells can then be transformed into various therapies that run a low risk of rejection because the cells are taken from the individual needing treatment. Even when familiar umbilical cord blood cells are used to develop treatments, the rejection rates are quite low. This limits the need for immunosuppressant treatments to maintain a positive quality of life in the future.
2. Some stem cells can be transformed into pluripotent stem cells.
Adult stem cells, through the use of iPS reprogramming factors, have the ability to be reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells. Once this occurs, they can be activated into mesoderm, endoderm, or ectoderm cells. This process allows for the potential benefits that embryonic stem cell lines could provide for medical treatments without the need to destroy embryos to collect the cells that are needed.
3. The current treatment options for stem cells are