stem cell transplantations

Stem cell transplantations come from a variety of sources. Umbilical stem cells, adult stem cells, embryo stem cells, these are all concerns of a medical field called regenerative medicine. 

Regenerative medicine is a medical/scientific approach to manufacturing organs which involves cell therapies, biosurgery, tissue engineering, and producing biohybrid and artificial organs.

The foundation of regenerative medicine is cell therapy. It is an old medical field which finds it's root in the 1930's where certain scientific researchers working at places like the Rockefeller institute were working on cell transplantation for burn victims. The engineered skin tissue was the beginning of a story that continues to this day.

The process of growing cells outside the body from body tissue is a difficult process but  through research the process has become more forgiving and today several types of body tissues can be replicated in culture and then used in surgical applications or in organ transplant which could someday reduce to some degree the need for organ donations.

Each organ is a life form of its own and has characteristics built through combinations of tissues.

For example a blood vessel is a tube which is made up of endothelial cells and vascular cells, etc. Through the process of regenerative medicine a blood vessel would be artificially produced by combining the cultured tissues and having them interact to form a blood vessel which is similar to those grown naturally in the human body.

The same process goes for building any of the other organs found in the human body.

Basically there are three types of forms that this medical field deals with.

1. tubular structures - ie windpipe
2. hollow structures - ie bladder
3. solid organs - ie heart

Each type has a level of complexity that is above the last.

The use of natural cells from the body of the victim or of the person requiring a transplant is one way of going about getting therapy cells for regenerating body tissues and organs.

But to go that route means that there must be sample cells to use. When no such cells are available then another technique of harvesting cells is through the use of stem cells. ( umbilical stem cells, cord stem cells, embryonic stem cells ). 

Stem cell therapy means that a structure is regenerated by first using cloned cells which come from a variety of sources.

Stem cells come into play with regenerative medicine when either no cells are available from the transplant recipient or when the cells of  an organ or structure cannot be grown outside the body.

There are embryonic stem cells which come from unborn embryo ( aka - cord blood stem cell ) and there are bone marrow stem cells which come from mature living tissues. Each has it's pros and cons when used in regenerative medicine.

Alternate stem cell sources being looked into by regenerative medicine specialists fall in the umbilical stem cell category and include placenta fluid and amniotic fluid.

According to regenerative medicine specialist the goal of successfully achieving a method of coming up with a process that allows for even a single organ to be regenerated, such as the pancreas or the liver, could save within the USA alone about 1 trillion dollars over ten years. This, when one considers the current health care dilemma facing the American population, is a major factor for argument both in favour of and against the continued use of different types of stem cells used in the process of building organs and tissues.

The argument has in the past invoked much resistance due to the embryonic stem cell issue. Umbilical cord stem cell research where the placenta and amniotic fluid tests are involved seem to offer a solid case for using umbilical stem cells that would otherwise be disposed of once the embryo is born or put to rest in a dignified and humane manner.

While the debate continues, stem cell transplants continue to be used in conjunction with other medical treatments in cases of leukemia, myeloma, and other cancerous conditions as well as in non cancerous conditions. And companies who are striving to be front runners in this competitive medical field are filing for patents on methods of producing either umbilical stem cells, cord stem cells, or embryonic stem cells. One such medical patent is 11/281,640 which recently was granted to a company called NeuralStem. The next move according to this company is to find a way of convincing the FDA to grant them the right to start doing human clinical trials on the treatment of ALS - aka - amyotropic lateral sclerosis - aka - Lou Gehrig's Disease. But being on the cutting edge of technology in research does not guarantee a companies success either medically or financially. The current financial status of NeuralStem seems to indicate that they are fighting the waves of the economy and they are struggling to keep their company in the listings of the NYSE.