(CNN) Here is some background information about stem cells.
Scientists believe that stem cell research can be used to treat medical conditions including Parkinsons disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
About Stem Cells:Stem cell research focuses on embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.
Stem cells have two characteristics that differentiate them from other types of cells:- Stem cells are unspecialized cells that replicate themselves for long periods through cell division.- Under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, stem cells can be induced to become mature cells with special functions such as the beating cells of the heart muscle or insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.
There are four classes of stem cells: totipotent, multipotent, pluripotent, and unipotent.- Totipotent stem cells that develop into cells that make up all the cells in an embryo and fetus. (Ex: The zygote/fertilized egg and the cells at the very early stages following fertilization are considered totipotent)- Multipotent stem cells can give rise to multiple types of cells, but all within a particular tissue, organ, or physiological system. (Ex: blood-forming stem cells/bone marrow cells, most often referred to as adult stem cells)- Pluripotent stem cells (ex: embryonic stem cells) can give rise to any type of cell in the body. These cells are like blank slates, and they have the potential to turn into any type of cell.- Unipotent stem cells can self-renew as well as give rise to a single mature cell type. (Ex: sperm producing cells)
Embryonic stem cells are harvested from four to six-day-old embryos. These embryos are either leftover embryos in fertility clinics or embryos created specifically for harvesting stem cells by therapeutic cloning. Only South Korean scientists claim to have successfully created human embryos via therapeutic cloning and have harvested stem cells from them.
Adult stem cells are already designated for a certain organ or tissue. Some adult stem cells can be coaxed into or be reprogrammed into turning into a different type of specialized cell within the tissue type for example, a heart stem cell can give rise to a functional heart muscle cell, but it is still unclear whether they can give rise to all different cell types of the body.
The primary role of adult stem cells is to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found.
Uses of Stem Cell Research:Regenerative (reparative) medicine uses cell-based therapies to treat disease.
Scientists who research stem cells are trying to identify how undifferentiated stem cells become differentiated as serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are due to abnormal cell division and differentiation.
Scientists believe stem cells can be used to generate cells and tissues that could be used for cell-based therapies as the need for donated organs and tissues outweighs the supply.
Stem cells, directed to differentiate into specific cell types, offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat diseases, including Parkinsons and Alzheimers diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Policy Debate:Cloning human embryos for stem cells is very controversial.
The goal of therapeutic cloning research is not to make babies, but to make embryonic stem cells, which can be harvested and used for cell-based therapies.
Using fertilized eggs left over at fertility clinics is also controversial because removing the stem cells destroys them.
Questions of ethics arise because embryos are destroyed as the cells are extracted, such as: When does human life begin? What is the moral status of the human embryo?
Timeline:1998 President Bill Clinton requests a National Bioethics Advisory Commission to study the question of stem cell research.
1999 The National Bioethics Advisory Commission recommends that the government allow federal funds to be used to support research on human embryonic stem cells.
2000 During his campaign, George W. Bush says he opposes any research that involves the destruction of embryos.
2000 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issues guidelines for the use of embryonic stem cells in research, specifying that scientists receiving federal funds can use only extra embryos that would otherwise be discarded. President Clinton approves federal funding for stem cell research but Congress does not fund it.
August 9, 2001 President Bush announces he will allow federal funding for about 60 existing stem cell lines created before this date.
January 18, 2002 A panel of experts at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommends a complete ban on human reproductive cloning, but supports so-called therapeutic cloning for medical purposes.
February 27, 2002 For the second time in two years, the House passes a ban on all cloning of human embryos.
July 11, 2002 The Presidents Council on Bioethics recommends a four-year ban on cloning for medical research to allow time for debate.
February 2005 South Korean scientist Hwang Woo Suk publishes a study in Science announcing he has successfully created stem cell lines using therapeutic cloning.
December 2005 Experts from Seoul National University Hwang of faking some of his research. Hwang asks to have his paper withdrawn while his work is being investigated and resigns his post.
January 10, 2006 An investigative panel from Seoul National University accuses Hwang of faking his research.
July 18, 2006 The Senate votes 63-37 to loosen President Bushs limits on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.
July 19, 2006 President Bush vetoes the embryonic stem-cell research bill passed by the Senate (the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005), his first veto since taking office.
June 20, 2007 President Bush vetoes the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, his third veto of his presidency.
January 23, 2009 The FDA approves a request from Geron Corp. to test embryonic stem cells on eight to 10 patients with severe spinal cord injuries. This will be the worlds first test in humans of a therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells. The tests will use stem cells cultured from embryos left over in fertility clinics.
March 9, 2009 President Barack Obama signs an executive order overturning an order signed by President Bush in August 2001 that barred the NIH from funding research on embryonic stem cells beyond using 60 cell lines that existed at that time.
August 23, 2010 US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth issues a preliminary injunction that prohibits the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.
September 9, 2010 A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit grants a request from the Justice Department to lift a temporary injunction that blocked federal funding of stem cell research.
September 28, 2010 The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit lifts an injunction imposed by a federal judge, thereby allowing federally funded embryonic stem-cell research to continue while the Obama Administration appeals the judges original ruling against use of public funds in such research.
October 8, 2010 The first human is injected with cells from human embryonic stem cells in a clinical trial sponsored by Geron Corp.
November 22, 2010 William Caldwell, CEO of Advanced Cell Technology, tells CNN that the FDA has granted approval for his company to start a clinical trial using cells grown from human embryonic stem cells. The treatment will be for an inherited degenerative eye disease.
April 29, 2011 The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia lifts an injunction, imposed last year by a federal judge, banning the Obama administration from funding embryonic stem-cell research.
May 11, 2011 Stem cell therapy in sports medicine is spotlighted after New York Yankee pitcher Bartolo Colon is revealed to have had fat and bone marrow stem cells injected into his injured elbow and shoulder while in the Dominican Republic.
July 27, 2011 Judge Lamberth dismisses a lawsuit that tried to block funding of stem cell research on human embryos.
February 13, 2012 Early research published by scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University show that a patients own stem cells can be used to regenerate heart tissue and help undo damage caused by a heart attack. It is the first instance of therapeutic regeneration.
May 2013 Scientists make the first embryonic stem cell from human skin cells by reprogramming human skin cells back to their embryonic state, according to a study published in the journal, Cell.
April 2014 For the first time scientists are able to use cloning technologies to generate stem cells that are genetically matched to adult patients,according to a study published in the journal, Cell Stem Cell.
October 2014 Researchers say that human embryonic stem cells have restored the sight of several nearly blind patients and that their latest study shows the cells are safe to use long-term. According to a report published in The Lancet, the researchers transplanted stem cells into 18 patients with severe vision loss as a result of two types of macular degeneration.
Click here to read full story
More here:
Stem Cells Fast Facts | KABC-AM - KABC
- Politics of Stem Cell Research - May 7th, 2011 [May 7th, 2011]
- Obama Ends Funding Ban for Stem Cell Research - May 8th, 2011 [May 8th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research: A Father's Fight - May 10th, 2011 [May 10th, 2011]
- Human Embryonic stem cell research - May 11th, 2011 [May 11th, 2011]
- Frost Over The World - Stem Cell Research and Turkey -26 Oct - May 20th, 2011 [May 20th, 2011]
- McCain Favors Embryonic Stem Cell Research - May 20th, 2011 [May 20th, 2011]
- US divided over stem cell research reversal - 09 Mar 09 - May 21st, 2011 [May 21st, 2011]
- The Politics and Promise of Stem Cell Research - May 22nd, 2011 [May 22nd, 2011]
- Inside Story - Obama to end stem cell research ban - March 9 - Part1 - May 30th, 2011 [May 30th, 2011]
- Cardiovascular Therapies: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Douglas Boyd - June 3rd, 2011 [June 3rd, 2011]
- The Human Embryo and Embryonic Stem Cell Biology: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - June 3rd, 2011 [June 3rd, 2011]
- US appeals court lifts stem cell research ban - June 7th, 2011 [June 7th, 2011]
- Trailer for Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita - June 9th, 2011 [June 9th, 2011]
- Politics: President Obama on Stem Cell Research - June 10th, 2011 [June 10th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research Documentary - June 11th, 2011 [June 11th, 2011]
- TEDxSingapore - Susan Lim - Hype and hope of stem cell research - June 13th, 2011 [June 13th, 2011]
- Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS): Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Wrapup - June 14th, 2011 [June 14th, 2011]
- The Next Frontier in Stem Cell Research - June 17th, 2011 [June 17th, 2011]
- Robert Klein: Stem Cell Research - June 22nd, 2011 [June 22nd, 2011]
- Fibrocell Stem-Cell Wrinkle Smoother Wins FDA Clearance - June 23rd, 2011 [June 23rd, 2011]
- The Politics of Stem Cell Research - June 23rd, 2011 [June 23rd, 2011]
- A Dose of Reality on Alternative Stem Cell Treatments: What you don't know can hurt you - June 28th, 2011 [June 28th, 2011]
- Governor Tim Pawlenty Discusses Stem Cell Research - June 30th, 2011 [June 30th, 2011]
- The EU and stem cell research - July 5th, 2011 [July 5th, 2011]
- Parkinson's Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Jeff Bronstein - July 6th, 2011 [July 6th, 2011]
- Cardiovascular Therapies: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Yung-Wei Chi - July 7th, 2011 [July 7th, 2011]
- Spotlight on Cancer Stem Cell Research - July 11th, 2011 [July 11th, 2011]
- A Stem Cell Story - July 12th, 2011 [July 12th, 2011]
- Bishop Blair bars support for Komen breast cancer group - July 13th, 2011 [July 13th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research In Toronto - July 14th, 2011 [July 14th, 2011]
- Arthritis: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Introduction - July 14th, 2011 [July 14th, 2011]
- Huntington's Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research 2007 - Han Keirstead - July 15th, 2011 [July 15th, 2011]
- TMconfUK2011-08 - Stem Cell Research in the UK - Prof Charles Ffrench-Constant - July 16th, 2011 [July 16th, 2011]
- UCSF opens stem cell research building - July 16th, 2011 [July 16th, 2011]
- HIV/AIDS: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - John Zaia - July 17th, 2011 [July 17th, 2011]
- Deafness: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Ebenezer Yamoah - July 22nd, 2011 [July 22nd, 2011]
- Spotlight on Basic Stem Cell Research - Irv Weissman - July 25th, 2011 [July 25th, 2011]
- Diabetes: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Peter Butler - July 27th, 2011 [July 27th, 2011]
- Parkinson's Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Arnold Kriegstein - July 27th, 2011 [July 27th, 2011]
- HIV/AIDS: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Loren Leeds - July 27th, 2011 [July 27th, 2011]
- Alzheimer's Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Leeza Gibbons - August 2nd, 2011 [August 2nd, 2011]
- Geron's Embryonic Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Spinal Cord Injury - August 3rd, 2011 [August 3rd, 2011]
- The Skin Gun stem cell research - August 10th, 2011 [August 10th, 2011]
- Deafness: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Karen Doyle - August 10th, 2011 [August 10th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research: Huntington's Disease - August 14th, 2011 [August 14th, 2011]
- Adult and Non-Embryonic Stem Cell Research Conference at Notre Dame - August 20th, 2011 [August 20th, 2011]
- Stemcell Research and Aging - Panel 1 - August 22nd, 2011 [August 22nd, 2011]
- Texans for Stem Cell Research Learn for Life: KXAN Coverage Aired August 16th, 2011 - August 24th, 2011 [August 24th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research: Macular Degeneration - September 18th, 2011 [September 18th, 2011]
- Brilliant Minds - Stem Cell Research | Tomorrow Today - September 25th, 2011 [September 25th, 2011]
- Ethics of Stem Cell Research (1) - September 29th, 2011 [September 29th, 2011]
- Legal and Public Policy Dimensions of Stem Cell Research - September 29th, 2011 [September 29th, 2011]
- Stem cell symposium - October 2nd, 2011 [October 2nd, 2011]
- StemCONN 2011, The Latest in Stem Cell Research - October 6th, 2011 [October 6th, 2011]
- Arthritis: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Mark Genovese - October 7th, 2011 [October 7th, 2011]
- Judy Roberson: Patient advocates drive stem cell scientists - October 8th, 2011 [October 8th, 2011]
- Sam Harris - Stem Cells and Morality - October 8th, 2011 [October 8th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research, Ethics and Religion - October 9th, 2011 [October 9th, 2011]
- Stem Cells: Fulfilling the Promise - 2011 CIRM Grantee Meeting - October 10th, 2011 [October 10th, 2011]
- The Skin Gun (Stem Cell research to replace burnt off skin. Done in 3 days!) - October 13th, 2011 [October 13th, 2011]
- Alzheimer's Stem Cell Research Patient Advocate Spotlight: The Faces of Neurodegenerative Disease - Video - October 18th, 2011 [October 18th, 2011]
- Life in the Balance: Perspectives on Stem Cell Research - Video - October 18th, 2011 [October 18th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research Funding Halt - Video - October 19th, 2011 [October 19th, 2011]
- Vatican lending hand in adult stem cell research - Video - October 20th, 2011 [October 20th, 2011]
- First Spinal-Cord Surgery With Stem Cells - Video - October 21st, 2011 [October 21st, 2011]
- Michael J. Fox Embryonic Stem Cell Research - Video - October 22nd, 2011 [October 22nd, 2011]
- stem cell research - Video - October 22nd, 2011 [October 22nd, 2011]
- Gayle Atteberry - Cloning - November 5th, 2011 [November 5th, 2011]
- It Takes Nerve: UC Irvine - Sue - November 6th, 2011 [November 6th, 2011]
- Embryonic Stem Cell Research - Video - November 9th, 2011 [November 9th, 2011]
- Adult Stem Cell Research Far Ahead of Embryonic - Video - November 10th, 2011 [November 10th, 2011]
- Is stem cell research a growing concern .flv - Video - November 10th, 2011 [November 10th, 2011]
- Forbes Discusses Stem Cell Research - Video - November 14th, 2011 [November 14th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research Presentation - Video - November 16th, 2011 [November 16th, 2011]
- Benedict XVI: No embryonic stem cell research - Video - November 28th, 2011 [November 28th, 2011]
- Batten Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - A Father's Story - Video - November 30th, 2011 [November 30th, 2011]
- CIS 111 Digital Media Project - Stem Cell Research - Video - December 13th, 2011 [December 13th, 2011]
- Regenerative Medicine and Applications of Stem Cell Research - Video - December 20th, 2011 [December 20th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research Today: Larry Goldstein - CIRM Science Writer's Seminar - Video - December 22nd, 2011 [December 22nd, 2011]
- CIRM Bridges Award: Building California's Stem Cell Research Workforce - Video - December 22nd, 2011 [December 22nd, 2011]