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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : October 13, 2014 5:02 PM IST
Stem cells are cells derived from our bone marrow or umbilical cord and are also called the ‘basic cells’ of our body. They have the power to mature into any type of tissue or cell in the body. Stem cell therapy, although fairly new, is widely used nowadays to treat many diseases. Here's a list of diseases you didn't know stem cell could cure.
Diseases that occur due to blood flow problems could soon become a lot easier to treat as researchers have developed a technique to jump-start the body's system for creating blood vessels. The research could lead to new therapies for illnesses such as peripheral artery disease - a painful leg condition caused by poor blood circulation which can lead to skin problems, gangrene and even amputation.
'While the body has cells that specialise in repairing blood vessels and creating new ones, called endothelial colony forming cells, these cells can lose their ability to proliferate into new blood vessels as patients age or develop diseases like peripheral arterial disease,' said lead researcher Mervin Yoder Jr. from the Indiana University School of Medicine. (Read: Stem cells loaded with the herpes virus can kill brain tumours!)
If younger, more enthusiastic endothelial colony forming cells could be injected into the affected tissues, they might jump-start the process of creating new blood vessels, the findings showed. Although these cells are relatively difficult to find in adults, especially in those with peripheral arterial disease, they are present in large numbers in umbilical cord blood. The researchers said they had developed a potential therapy through the use of patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells, which are normal adult cells that have been 'coaxed' via laboratory techniques into reverting into the more primitive stem cells that can produce most types of bodily tissue. (Read: Stem cell treatment a boon for burn victims)
Those laboratory created endothelial colony forming cells were injected into mice, where they were able to proliferate into blood vessels and restore blood flow to tissues in damaged mouse retinas and limbs. 'This is one of the first studies using induced pluripotent stem cells that has been able to produce new cells in clinically relevant numbers - enough to enable a clinical trial,' Yoder noted. (Read: Stem cells could now be used to treat malfunctioning bladders)
The findings appeared in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
What is stem cell therapy?
Stem cells are derived from human umbilical cord or bone marrow. Also called the basic cells of our body they have the power to mature into any type of tissue cell in the body. Stem cell therapy is based on the principle that stem cells migrate to the site of the injury and transform themselves to form new tissue cells that can replace the damaged ones. They have the capacity to multiply and renew themselves almost indefinitely and can form mature nerve cells, muscle cells and blood cells. In this therapy they are taken out of the body, and kept under artificial conditions (also called as induction of the stem cells) where they mature into the type of cells that are required to heal a particular part of the body.
There are two types of treatments:
Autologous stem cell therapy: This method uses the patient s own stem cells (adult stem cells) which are obtained from the blood, bone marrow etc.
Allogenic stem cell therapy: This therapy uses donated stem cells. The disadvantage in this therapy is that in a number of cases these donor stem cells may be rejected. This method of stem cell therapy has not yet been legalised in India.
How is it done?
The entire procedure can be broken down into three steps: bone marrow collection, laboratory processing and stem cell implantation (bone marrow stem cell or cord derived stem cell). Your doctor may administer a stem cell stimulant medication to enhance the transplantation process. Read more about Stem cell therapy what you ought to know
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: Getty images
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