Read the following article Giving the Brain a Hand by Susan Gaidos. What are stem cells? How do you make them? Where else can you get stem cells from? Why are stem cells important?
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Stem Cells
Read the following article Giving the Brain a Hand by Susan Gaidos. What are stem cells? How do you make them? Where else can you get stem cells from? Why are stem cells important?
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ReplyDeleteThe article was all about Kristen Brennand's research about brain diseases by way of stem cells. Stem cells are unique in that they can become any other type of cell. Because of this ability, Brennand is using them to replicate the brain cells of those with schizophrenia and autism. She uses skin cells, chosen because they are easy to obtain and keep alive, and applies genes to "turn them back" into stem cells. Because all cells contain the individual's entire sequence of DNA, the formed brain cells are the same as those in the subject's actual brain. By comparing these cells with those of a healthy person's, Brennand hopes to learn more about what causes brain diseases such as schizophrenia or autism.
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Stem cells are cells that are pluripotent, meaning that they can become any type of cell found in adults. They are also able to replicate indefinitely in the laboratory. Both of these qualities allow scientists to use these cells very effectively in studying any part of the human body. Stem cells are naturally made in human embryos, where they eventually become every part of a human body. They can be made from cells such as skin cells by activating four genes which are highly active in embryonic stem cells. The cells then are able to grow and differentiate, and become stem cells. They can be made from any type of cell. Stem cells are important because they allow scientists like Brennand to explore causes of disease in organs that would normally be impossible to study, as well as lead to new technology in regrowing organs and/or limbs.
Stem cells are the cells that are before brain, skin and other cells are made, these cells have the ability to transform into any cell. Stems cells are from the early stages of life, babies have them, and to create them you take a skin cell and turn on four special genes to change the cell into a stem cell. Stem cells can help study disease that is one way the are important. Stem cells also can be used to help someone with a burn or other injury to replace the missing cells they need.
ReplyDeleteStem cells are the most basic cells in our bodies. They have the ability to become any type of cell.
ReplyDeleteYou can make stem cells by taking any type of cell (Brennand uses skin cells because they are easy to retrieve) and turning on four types of genes. When these special genes are turned on they give the cell the power to grow and differentiate, thus empowering them to create any type of cell. Scientists leave these genes on for three weeks before turning them off. At the end of the three-week period the cells have made the change.
You can get stem cells from any type of cell in the body by collecting a sample (skin cells are easy to collect - they collect them by doing a punch biopsy)
Stem cells are important for many reasons. Firstly, just scientists being able to create them is a huge leap in the scientific field. Mainly though, they are a way to find out more about mental diseases such as autism or schizophrenia. These diseases aren't uncommon among humans and scientists have tried for many years to find out more about them. Stem cell research is transforming the studies of those diseases. Hopefully one day we can find cures for these diseases using stem cells and change our world as we know it.
Stem cells are basically baby brain cells. Before brain cells can become neurons, they are stem cells. Stem cells are able to become any cell in the body, like brain cells, nerve cells, skin cells etc. Stem cells are also able to continue to reproduce for ever, which is a very desirable trait for science. You can make stem cells by retracing the life cycle of any cell. All you need to do is turn on 4 specific genes for 3 weeks, and when you turn the proteins off, the cells have gained all the abilities of stem cells. You can also get stem cells from embryos, because all cells start out as stem cells, and then they just differentiate later. Stem cells are very important to science because it enables us to have an infinite amount of any cell we wish to have. I have grown up hearing about stem cell research and the wonder these cells have the potential of doing because my dad works for a stem cell company. Some people are opposed to the use of stem cells, especially embryonic ones, but if you think of the number of lives that these few cells would be able to save, the choice, for me, is clear.
ReplyDeleteThe practical definition of a stem cell is the functional definition - a cell that has the potential to regenerate tissue over a lifetime. For example, the gold standard test for a bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) is the ability to transplant one cell and save an individual without HSCs. In this case, a stem cell must be able to produce new blood cells and immune cells over a long term, demonstrating potency. It should also be possible to isolate stem cells from the transplanted individual, which can themselves be transplanted into another individual without HSCs, demonstrating that the stem cell was able to self-renew.
ReplyDeleteBefore they are strictly mutated to their organ's purpose. Each stem cell has a grace period where it can morph into any other cell form. Now scientists can reverse the mutation and form the cell to a different formation. According to the previous document, one of the most efficient ways for collecting any form of excess cells are from your skin, which is also easy to collect and preserve for long periods of time. Virtually every cell is legible to be changed, but the easiest and most convenient cells are the skin cells. Stem cells will be important for posterior surgery because all the extra stem cells, cell copying and synthesis will allow newer thresholds to possibly give a man a new arm, kidney or even heart. Sure we can do this now, but quality of the extra limbs or organs may increase. Stem Cell research will also give us new insights into the human mind.
ReplyDeleteThis article was about studying brain diseases by using stem cells. Stem cells are cells that can turn into any other type of cells. Any cells that come from the human body can be turned into a stem cell. There are 4 specific genes. They are turned on for 4 weeks, and then turned back off. That is how stem cells are made. Stem cells can be made from any type of cell. They are used to study hereditary diseases, such as schizophrenia and autism. This is what stem cells are used for.
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