advantages and disadvantages of embryonic stem cells

#ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS SKIN#
#ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS PLUS#

Somatic stem cells can be transplanted from donor to patient, but without drugs that suppress the immune system, a patient's immune system will recognize transplanted cells as foreign and attack them. Isolation of some types could cause considerable tissue or organ damage, as in the heart or brain. Most types of somatic stem cells are present in low abundance and are difficult to isolate and grow in culture. This partial differentiation can be an advantage when you want to produce blood cells but it is a disadvantage if you're interested in producing an unrelated cell type. Bone marrow stem cells, for example, differentiate primarily into blood cells. However, under natural circumstances somatic stem cells can become only a subset of related cell types. Stem cells from the blood and bone marrow are routinely used as a treatment for blood-related diseases. They are important for growth, healing, and replacing cells that are lost through daily wear and tear. Embryonic cells carry a heavy ethical burden, but the future could belong to the similarly powerful iPS cells.Somatic stem cells (also called adult stem cells) exist naturally in the body. They cannot compete with pluripotent stem cells in terms of growth and developmental capacity. Moreover, adult stem cells are usually small in number and well hidden in the body. But beyond that, there is stagnation: great hopes for heart attacks, for example, have been treading water for years. Recently, niche applications for eye injuries, Crohn’s disease and transplant rejection have been added.

#ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS SKIN#

OutlookĪdult stem cells from bone marrow and skin have become an indispensable part of medicine. An optimal donor would therefore be as young as possible, but recruiting children as donors is probably neither desirable nor enforceable. Therefore, old stem cells are less functional than young ones, and the risk of cancer also increases significantly. The genetic material of the cells is constantly attacked by aggressive substances and not every damage can be repaired. Genetic damage accumulates in adult stem cells But the chances of success can hardly be predicted at the moment.ģ. Mesenchymal stem cells can still develop into other tissues and first studies are trying to use this for medicine. Only stem cells from bone marrow, blood and skin are easy to obtain, but they are also usually already committed to blood and skin cells. If you want to isolate them, you have to destroy the organ – certainly not the goal of medical treatment. Stem cells are deeply embedded in body tissues. Recourse to stem cells from aborted foetuses could partially solve the quantity problem, but spark an ethical debate with an outcome that is difficult to predict. Since adult stem cells are difficult to multiply in the laboratory, there are usually too few cells available for therapy.

The number of adult stem cells is usually negligible, especially in slow-growing organs. Adult stem cells are not suitable for all body tissues And when abortion comes into play, the potential for conflict is hardly less than with embryonic stem cells.

#ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS PLUS#

In a society that seeks consensus, this is an important plus point.īut what is usually concealed: Especially in the treatment of brain diseases, stem cells are isolated from aborted foetuses – adult and foetal stem cells are often not strictly distinguished. The harvesting of adult stem cells does not cause controversy – no one objects to adults voluntarily donating tissue. Adult stem cells are not ethically controversial The risk of spreading infections or tumours can also be eliminated. When it comes to questions of tolerability, own stem cells are the best choice for therapies : They are not rejected by the immune system, and patients are spared lifelong treatment with drugs. It can be assumed that no serious side effects occur with other adult stem cells either.Ģ. Tolerability is usually very good, and serious complications are rare – except for the problem of rejection reactions (more under point 2).

Therapy with adult stem cells is proven and safeīone marrow transplantation has been used in hospitals for decades doctors can draw on a wealth of experience. Pros and cons are compiled here Advantages 1. Can adult stem cells keep up with their pluripotent cousins in the future? But the capabilities of these cells are limited, and moreover their numbers are usually rather small. However, the question remains open as to whether they are also suitable for new applications.īone marrow and skin transplants are so successful because they use the regenerative powers of adult stem cells. Adult stem cells have been saving many lives for decades.

Advantages and disadvantages of embryonic stem cells