Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #10

The last area where stem cells may be helpful is in the growth of new organs where there is organ failure. One of the problem we face today is a shortage of transplantable organs for those needing them. Many patient's die because there are not organs available.

Two years ago researchers were able to grow a beating rat heart in the lab from stem cells from newborn rats. This hold great potential for the future.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #9

Another area where stem cells are being considered in terms of correcting problems is in blood disorders. There is a lot of research that is looking at the use of stem cells in Sickle cell anemia.

Studies have been done with mice with the sickle cell trait and have shown a complete cure with stem cells made from their own skin cells. This is truly a hopely finding for those who suffer from this disease.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #8

One of the diseases that I think there is real potential for is arthritis, specifically osteoarthritis which is the most common form of arthritis. You may also have heard it called degenerative joint disease. This is a disease that is the result of the wearing away of the protective cartilage in joints. Once gone, it is gone.

Researchers are looking at ways to use stem cells to replace the lost cartilage and repair these degenerated joints.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #7

Next in my list of disease is lung disease. Texas researchers have successfully developed stem cells into lung cells in the lab. They have shown strong evidence that these cells can actually repair lung tissue damage in mice.

Some of the conditions that this could help would be lung damage from a variety of diseases as well as from trauma to the lungs from car accidents, gun shots or sports injuries.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #6

Another disease where stem cells could be useful is Lou Gehrig's disease. This is a very debilitating disease that many who are diagnosed with only live for 3 to 5 years. This disease damages the muscle controlling motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

Scientists are researching ways to help stem cells become motor neurons that could be transplanted into these patients.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #5

Number 5 on my list falls in the same category with the neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer's is a disease that progresses by degrading and killing brain cells, which leads to memory loss, cognitive decline, and sometime behavior problems.

There is a lot of skepticism as to whether stem cells could help in this disease, but I feel there is potential here.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #4

The fourth disease you might have already guessed if you thought about it. Since stem cells have the potential of repairing nerve damage, using them to help in Parkinson's Disease is a logical step.

Because of the effect of Parkinson's on the motor function of patient's suffering from the disease, researchers have put stem cells into mice with a similar neurodegenerative disease. what they found was an increase in the motor function of these mice.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #3

The third disease where stem cells could prove to be very helpful is in heart disease. Because this is the leading cause of death in the United States, researchers are looking at this strongly.

The hope is that stem cells could regenerate normal heart muscle to replace heart muscle that has been damaged. There has been success with this in mice.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #2

The next disease that I think stem cells have potential in is Diabetes. Now it is only going to work in Type 1 diabetics where the function of the islet cells has ceased in the production of insulin. Not the same as in type 2 diabetes.

Scientists have been able to coax human stem cells into producing insulin in diabetic mice. I think it is just a matter of time before they can do this in humans.

The matter of type 2 diabetes is not that the islet cells are not producing insulin, but rather they are shooting out lots of insulin. There is a problem at the cell receptor site with the insulin attaching there - we call it insulin resistance.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses

I just read some more information about another illness that stem cells may be able to help, so I thought I would put together my top 10 list of illness.

Probably one of the illnesses more in the lime light are spinal cord injuries. Last year, researchers started looking at the effects of stem cells on spinal cord injury patients, with hopes that these individuals would regain some feeling and use of their extremities.