What is a stem cell? At one stage in your very early life, you were just one cell. This one cell had the ability to become every type of cell. This is known as totipotent, meaning total potential.
A few days after this you were a small collection of cells and you formed a blastocyst. This blastocyst had a protective layer of cells on the outside. These outside cells supported the interior cells. These interior cells are known as pluripotent. This means that these cells will form every cell in your body. They will specialize to form skin cells, blood cells, brain cells and all the other cells you require.
The difference between the one totipotent cell and the pluripotent cells is that the pluripotent cells are not capable of producing an organism on its own. They need the outer blastocyst cells to do this. They are capable of becoming any type of cell, but alone, they are not capable of producing an entire living organism.
These pluripotent cells are known as stem cells.
They can become any type of cells. It is not difficult to imagine what possibilities these stem cells hold for medical science. If stem cells can be manipulated, they can grow into whatever we need. The most apparent use is for organ transplants. Beyond this there are many others.
Studies with rats have suggested that stem cells could be used to repair the brain damage caused by strokes.
Another study has shown some hope for HIV and AIDS. Human stem cells were injected with an anti-HIV substance. These stem cells grew into white blood cells that rejected the virus. In the laboratory, these cells blocked HIV growth.
All human diseases occur at the cellular level. If we can create and replace cells throughout our body, great advances in health are likely.
Diabetes occurs when certain cells in the body stop producing insulin. If new cells can be created, the insulin will be produced. Stem cells are a potential cure for diabetes.
Spinal cord and brain injuries may be repaired, replacement organs may be grown, and cell malfunctions, including Cancer, may be stopped.
The possibilities are quite amazing.
But there is a debate occurring over stem cells. An ethical debate reaching to the highest levels.
Return next week for part two of this article: The Stem Cell Debate.
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