Stem cells in research & medicine
- Due to their ability to differentiate into multiple cell types, stem cells have huge potential in the therapeutic treatment of disease
- Stem cells in the treatment of disease could be used to:
- repair tissue that has been damaged
- treat neurological conditions
- research developmental biology
- Factors to consider when evaluating the use of embryonic stem cells in medicine include:
- ethical concerns around the use of embryonic stem cellsĀ which have the potential to develop into an adult human
- any adult stem cells used in medical treatment could cause an immune response unless they are a close tissue match
- stem cells have the ability to divide indefinitely; if this division becomes uncontrolled then it can lead to cancers
Tissue repair
- Tissue damage can occur due to:
- accidental damage
- degenerative disease
- autoimmune condition
- Stem cells could be encouraged to differentiate into a damaged cell type and used to repair damaged tissue, e.g.
- skin cells to treat burn patients
- neurones to repair a damaged spinal cord
- pancreas cells to treat type 1 diabetes
- retina cells for the treatment of macular degeneration in the eye
Treating neurological conditions
- Brain cells and neurones can be affected by some diseases, affecting the body's ability to coordinate responses to stimuli
- Stem cells could be used to generate new neurones in order to treat the symptoms of these conditions, e.g.
- replacing damaged brain cells in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
Developmental biology
- Embryonic stem cells have the ability to differentiate into embryos, allowing scientists to study the developmental stages of the early embryo
- Research on developmental biology can provide important information about:
- developmental problems
- the effects of medicines on embryos
Examiner Tip
You are not expected to be able to name any specific examples of neurological conditions that could be treated using stem cells.
