Stem Cell Therapies - News and Resources about The Holy Grail of Genetic Engineering

Medical researchers believe that stem cell therapies, once totally understood, can eradicate human disease and suffering.  Here are three news videos relating to stem cell therapies for the heart, the brain, and vision.  My summary of stem cell therapies follows the videos.... 


Stem Cells and the Brain



Stem Cells and Vision




From my Internet research, there are basically two types of stem cells - from before birth and those after birth.  Before birth stem cells come from an early stage embryo (Embryonic Stem Cells - when the embryo is 4-5 days old).  After birth, stem cells can also be found (called Somatic Stem Cells).  Stem cells are special cells which are kind of like chameleons - able to adapt to the situation or design plan at hand - meaning that if they are surrounded by heart cells - they will become heart cells.  If they are surrounded by neural cells - they will become part of our nervous system. 

Generally, after birth stem cells do not self-renew as effectively as embryonic stem cells.  Also, after-birth stem cells may contain more DNA abnormalities than embryonic stem cells.  By being "older" after-birth stem cells have had a chance to have their DNA altered through all sorts of processes - like various toxins and even sunlight. Because embryonic stem cells are "newer and younger" - they don't have the potential for undesireable effects as the after-birth type of stem cells.

Of the two types of stem cells, embryonic stem cells are the most controversial.  This is because with present technology - starting a stem cell line means destroying the human embryo. Even though scientists only harvest embryonic stem cells from fetuses which were going to be destroyed anyway (from laboratory fertilisation) - the pro-life movement argue that an embryo never-the-less is a human being - and should not be tampered with.  The debate has lead to all sorts of regulatory responses from governments around the world, and as the debate continues - stem cell therapies will evolve through these social and ethical issues.

Welcome to www.Stem-CellTherapies.com .  Did you know that some call the 21st century the Biotech Century?  Learnings from genetics are being applied to all sorts of problems and opportunities - and most will have a major impact upon our lives. 

As the 21st century unfolds, medical scientists believe that embryonic and/or adult stem cell therapies will be used to treat cancer, spinal cord injuries, parkinson's disease, muscle damage, vision impairment, and other applications. Thanks for visiting this website.  Please bookmark it on your computer, as we will be adding interesting genetics articles and up-to-the-minute news items about stem cell research and stem cell therapies.