Stem Cells

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Introduction
The ability to divide into different cell divisions is what distinguishes stem cells from other types of cells. They are a type of cell that can self-renew and give rise to cells. Stem cells are undifferentiated till they get a signal and transform into a specialized cell, after which they are transferred to other cells in the body such as the heart and skin. From the beginning of life until the end, stem cells are present in our bodies. Found in all multicellular organisms with the ability to reproduce showing totipotency. Although immature embryonic stem cells show totipotency, mature stem cells show multipotency.
Researchers have been working for years to develop a technique for using stem cells to replace diseased or damaged cells and tissues. Pluripotent cells were initially extracted from a human embryo and cultured in culture conditions in the last century. Stem cells can be used in a variety of ways in the future treatments for the treatment of a variety of ailments and injuries that make use of adult stem cells as well as early embryonic cells One of the most powerful countries in the world is Russia. For the first time, scientists proposed the name "stem cells" usage in science. Stem cells have the ability to change into many types of cells. It kind of bodily cell Using revolutionary treatments, a different ailment can be treated. Nowadays, stem cell technologies are available.

Stem Cells
A stem cell is an unspecialized cell that has the ability to replicate itself and differentiate into many types of cells and tissues.
There are two types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.
• Potency
• Source or origin
Stem cells are divided based on their potency as

  • Totipotent • Pluripotent • Multipotent • Oligopotent • Unipotent

While on the basis of their origin, they are divided as  

  •  Embryonic stem cell • Adult stem cell • Pluripotent stem cells

• Totipotent cells are cells have the potential to divide into any form of cell.

• Pluripotent cells have the ability to develop into any cell type.
• As multipotent cells, some cells can split into closely related families of cells.
• Oligopotent cells can only divide into a specific type of cell.
• Unipotent cells, on the other hand, can only create cells of their own type. Embryonic stem cells are also derived from embryonic cells.
In a nutshell, the purpose of stem cells is to restore damaged bodily cells and tissues.

Stem cell-based gene therapy
The embryo and early stages of the fetus, amniotic fluid, the placenta, and the umbilical cord all contain stem cells. Stem cells have a powerful ability to boost one's health. They supply the entire expertise to look for how to produce a human from a cell in study. Understanding stem cell processes allows us to use these cells for specific purposes in the treatment of diseases, such as disease modelling, cell-based therapeutics, and drug screening. Transplantation can also be done with stem cells. The scientist now knows that stem cells can be found in the brain and heart. Transplantation can also be done with stem cells.

Applications
Stem Cells as Research Instruments - Using stem cells as research tools in a lab setting. Cell Therapies - The use of stem cells as cellular medicines in the human body, mediated through cellular regeneration, paracrine signaling, or microenvironment manipulation. Source Materials for 3D Printing and 3D Weaving — The use of stem cells in 3D printing applications, such as 3D printing of living-cell-seeded tissues/organs or stem cell integration into 3D printing inks. Validation of the projected target utilizing tissue-specific stem cell-derived cells is referred to as drug target validation. Stem cells and stem cell exosomes are used to deliver therapeutic products. Toxicology Testing - Using stem cells to assess drug impacts on living materials.
(Hildreth, 2017)  

Research Controversy
Adult stem cells are free of ethical concerns. However, there has been some debate in recent years over how human embryonic stem cells are obtained. The embryo is destroyed during the harvesting of embryonic stem cells. For those who believe that destroying a fertilized embryo is morally wrong, this creates ethical difficulties. Opponents consider an embryo to be a living human being. The fertilized eggs, they believe, should not be used for study. They contend that the embryo has the same rights as any other human being and that these rights should be protected.
(Cafasso, 2017)

 Perspectives on the Future
As a miracle, stem cells can work wonders in the treatment of a variety of ailments. They conduct a wide range of experiments in order to further their research into the cure for such ailments. In medicine, degenerative disorders, and cancer, it creates dramatic changes. Every day, new discoveries emerge. Adult and embryonic stem cells are combined to tackle such disorders for the greater good of society. Adult stem cells' potential adaptability has yet to be determined. The use of stem cells can have a variety of ethical implications as well as a variety of applications.
However, stem cells are not treated as the first human discovery to be treated, despite the fact that they must be considered. Human Stem Cells (HSC) can, however, generate a number of ethical concerns about their
treatment as well as political debates about their use. In terms of embryonic stem cell research, there are ethical concerns in producing pluripotent induced stem cells from reprogrammed somatic cells. Clinical trials, downstream research, and consent to contribute HSC material therapies are all serious ethical issues. Scientific challenges are utilized to ensure that ethical and policy issues of stem cell research and treatment are addressed appropriately.

Pros and Cons
The principal hazards of stem cell therapy include tumor formation, irregular cell activity, immunological reactions, and long-term unknown health adverse effects. As a result, adequate preclinical trials on animal models as well as human studies of similar cell-based therapies should
be established. If pluripotent stem cells are controlled in vitro, there should be more proof of principle and safety standards. These trials, like any clinical research, should adhere to ethical norms that balance the risks and benefits.

Conclusion

Stem cells are utilized to cure disorders. They have a lot of division and regeneration potential. These cells come in a variety of forms that can be employed to treat a variety of ailments. These cells have the potential to be used in medicine and the treatment of diseases such as cancer, as well as having degenerative qualities. It also has a wide range of plasticity potential. These stem cells can also be used for cell-based treatments and drug screening. They also provide a complete understanding of how humans evolve from a single cell in study.
(Rimsha Imam, Aqsa Saeed, and Rana Khalid Iqbal, 2019)
 
 
References
  • Cafasso, J. (2017, july 8). Stem Cell Research. Retrieved from HealthLine: https://www.healthline.com/health/stem-cell-research#controversy
  • Hildreth, C. (2017, August 13). Stem Cell Applications – From Cell Therapy to Drug Development and Beyond. Retrieved from BioInformant: https://bioinformant.com/stem-cell-applications/
  • Rimsha Imam, Aqsa Saeed, and Rana Khalid Iqbal. (2019, April). Role of Stem Cells in Health Science and Medicine. Retrieved from Edelweiss Publications: https://edelweisspublications.com/articles/33/392/Role-of-Stem-Cells-in-Health-Science-and-Medicine

 By: Maha Aslam

 

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