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Stem Cell, why or why not?

Raymond I. Calderon

                We are now living in the 21^st century where everything is possible. As people lived by, more and more discoveries are found and more and more changes are made. Who’ve thought that for many years of research and observation, finally, a therapy was introduced and became the miracle in curing malignant diseases?

                The use of stem cell in therapy shows some potential to change the face of human diseases and alleviate sufferings.

                Stem cells are found in multi-cellular organisms like mammals. There are two broad types of stem cells namely, embryonic and adult stem cell. The embryonic stem cells are isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts while the adult stem cells are found in various tissues. In adult organisms, stem cells and progenitor cells act as a repair system for the body by replenishing adult tissues. In developing embryo, stem cells can be differentiated into all the specialized cells – ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm – but also maintain the normal turnover of regenerative organs, such as blood, skin or intestinal tissues.

                Stem cells have the ability to self-renew and give rise to subsequent generations with variable degrees of differentiation capacities that can replace diseases and damaged areas in the body with minimal risk of rejection and side effects. However, this kind of therapy is not affordable. Only rich can take and have a chance to be saved by stem cell therapy.

                Since it is still under experimentation and observation, stem cell therapies are just few. Most of them are still in need of more research and studies before applying in the clinical setting.

                Medical researchers anticipate that adult and embryonic and adult stem cells will soon be able to treat cancer, Type 1, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Celiac disease, cardiac failure, muscle damage and neurological disorders.

                 Everything is now possible, but more research is still necessary to understand stem cell behavior upon transplantation and its mechanism of interaction with the diseased or injured microenvironment to prevent further side effects.

                The discovery does not mean that all of us are able to be treated by stem cell therapy. So, we don’t have to be dependent with science, as long as we live, make sure we are healthy.