Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, Research Paper Example

I am extremely sorry to hear about your accident. It’s quite a shock especially after learning about its effect on you in the aftermath – a spinal cord injury. Who would have thought that a responsible driver like you would face this situation? It’s not your fault though and I can see you holding up well. Chin up comrade as I can see that you are in good hands. You tell me your medical team has asked you to volunteer for a stem cell therapy as a possible treatment option. You ask my advice and guidance in this regard? I am obliged to help in any way possible. I believe enlightening you about this therapy is my first task so as to give you the best possible clarity to make an informed decision.

I will start by introducing you to the basic biology of stem cells. Immature cells which possess the potency to transform into any kind of cell constituent of the body are referred to as stem cells (Stem cell.2014). There are essentially two stem cells types namely the embryonic stem cells and the adult stem cells. The embryonic stem cells are developed from the initial cells conceived at the time of conception. Unlike most cells, they have the potential to survive throughout a person’s lifetime. They are undifferentiated cells hence possess the ability to create every type of cell in the body. It is believed that roughly 200 or so cell types can be replicated through the cultivation of embryonic stems cells which in theory, survive as long as the body does. This makes them unique and rather significant with regards to resolving various health problems including diseases, deficiencies and disabilities. The possibilities are innumerous, as the downside is the moral dilemma faced when acquiring and utilizing embryos. It ignites the controversy that the use of these cells destroys existing cellular life to enable sustainability for another. Another problem is the unpredictable nature of the embryonic stem cells which invites more explorative insight into them because they have shown a tendency to divide uncontrollably resulting in tumors or growths of unwanted tissues. This risk needs to be eliminated as a safety measure endangering their use. While the embryonic stem cells have to be extracted by damaging live embryos, the predicament with adult stem cells is that even though their removal from live human tissue is safe and without consequence, they exist as indistinguishable cells within a fully formed mature tissue.

Until recently, identifying and isolating them was quite an obstacle in the quest for utilizing them as lifesaving aids. This and the difficulty in growing them under lab conditions is the major reason for limited progress in the investigation and use of adult stem cells. On the bright side, their being present within a particular organ tissue makes it convenient to serve as its repair system which multiplies regularly to replenish specialized cells replacing the ones that are either dead or lost. Moreover, the body’s immune system does not reject the replacement i.e. transplantation of its own cells. This is in contrast to embryonic cells with which the possibility of using immunosuppressive drugs seems imminent. It is imperative to remember that unlike embryonic stems cells which show flexibility towards adaptations, the adult stem cells have a fixed cell type that cannot be modified into tissues other than the ones they came from. It, naturally, restricts these cells to be used only in procedures involving the same type of tissue from which they have evolved.

As of yet, adult stem cells have been largely observed in the brain, bone marrow, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, teeth, heart, gut and liver  tissue (Wang, Qin, Zhao, & Zenke, 2014). Thus these stem cells have the margin to be employed only in conditions relevant to the aforementioned organs. Now let’s come to understanding, how they can be applied to treat various diseases or injuries like yours. Stem cell therapy is a term used to explain the use of these cells to treat or prevent different medical conditions. You’d be surprised to learn that bone marrow transplant is, in a way, a part of this therapy too.

Over the years, donated organs and tissues have been used for the replacement of damaged or diseased ones but it has been rife with the challenges of organ matching and compatibility, not to mention the problem of their limited availability at the time of transplant. Stem cell science attempts to overcome these issues even though most therapies are in their experimental stage and it might take some time until we see a sound and successful application of this trial when these processes start bearing fruit. Take heart though, the potential is brimming to be exposed as there have been some success stories amongst these trials and you might be one of them.

In laymen terms, the procedure involves injecting stem cells into the concerned organ, for example, into a heart muscle damaged after a heart attack to possibly see repair and growth of new cells. The muscles, blood and bones could be also repaired in this similar manner. Stem cells are, on paper, said to not only be capable of making repairs but are also precursors of new growth and replacements for missing pieces. A major research challenge, in this regard, is figuring out which type of cell is most appropriate for a particular medical condition. Another scary aspect is that the complete outcome of the implant might take years to manifest. The recent studies and trials that I am aware of have been researching effectiveness of stem cells in curing Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Type 1 Diabetes, Duchene’s muscular dystrophy, Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis, heart diseases, strokes, burns, vision and hearing loss. Scientists are testing the capabilities of several types of stem cells to repair spinal cord injury as well. So your being chosen for this experimental therapy is a bright sign. Biology was never your strong suit so I will try to explain the organ that has been injured as simply as possible and then highlight the damage to your spinal cord as a result of this wretched car crash (Wang, Qin, Zhao, & Zenke, 2014).

Your spinal cord is fundamentally made up of a) Neurons whose function is to convey information in the form of electrical signals to and from the brain across the spinal cord. b) Axon which is a singular extension of the neuron conducting the signals away from the main cellular body. Its purpose is to either carry brain signals down the spinal cord to control muscles and organs and regulate body’s pressure, temperature and stress response or carry sensory information like pain and touch from the skin and internal organs up the cord to the brain. A type of supportive cell structure called myelin serves as an insulator, helping the electrical impulses to flow seamlessly and quickly through the axon (Potten, 1996).

I cannot decide for you but I think I have equipped you with enough basic knowledge to ask the relevant questions from your doctors and then make the decision for yourself. I am sure, though, that over the course of this letter you may have gleaned my partiality towards this option but that is because I see great potential in this branch of science to help people live their lives to their fullest by eliminating scores of maladies through this technique. Do tell me the outcome of the upcoming meeting with your panel of doctors and do give me updates regarding your health. I will try to visit you in person as soon as I come back from my trip. Until then, take care and stay positive.

References

Potten, C. (1996). Stem cells Elsevier Science.

Stem cell. (2014). Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, , 1p. 1.

Wang, X., Qin, J., Zhao, R. C., & Zenke, M. (2014). Reduced immunogenicity of induced pluripotent stem cells derived from sertoli cells. PLoS ONE, 9(8), 1-8. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0106110