Where Are Stem Cells Used?

Stem cells are very important to living organisms for many reasons. Given their unique regenerative abilities, stem cells offer new potential for the treatment of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Some stem cells, such as adult bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells, have been used in clinical treatments for more than 40 years. Due to their characteristics, stem cells can transform into cells that serve numerous functions in different parts of the body. These cells can only serve a specific purpose in a specific organ. 

All humans start out as a single cell. This cell is called a fertilized egg or zygote. The zygote divides into two cells, then four cells, and so on. Eventually, cells begin to differentiate, taking on a specific function in a part of the body. Stem cells are cells that have not yet differentiated. They have the ability to divide and create an unlimited number of copies of themselves. Other cells in the body can only reproduce a limited number of times before they begin to deteriorate. When a stem cell divides, they can remain as a stem cell, or they can turn into differentiated cells such as muscle cells or red blood cells.

Potential Uses of Stem Cells

Because stem cells have the ability to transform into various other cell types, they are used in many different treatments. Stem cells can be used to replace damaged organs or tissues, to investigate the causes of genetic defects in cells, to understand how diseases occur or how certain cells turn into cancer cells. There are different types of stem cells used for different purposes. 

Embryonic stem cells come from 3 to 5-day old human embryos. Embryonic stem cells obtained during the IVF process are also known as pluripotent stem cells. They can turn into almost any type of cell in the body.

Non-embryonic stem cells are also available in infants and children. Adult stem cells from developed organs and tissues in the body are used by the body to repair and replace damaged tissue in the area they are located. Hematopoietic stem cells have the feature of being an adult stem cell located in the bone marrow. They can make new red blood cells, white blood cells, and other types of blood cells. Doctors have long used hematopoietic stem cells to treat certain types of cancer and perform a stem cell transplant, known as a bone marrow transplant. The ability of adult stem cells to differentiate into other cell types is not as great as embryonic stem cells.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have the ability to differentiate into every specific cell in the body. This means they can potentially produce new cells for any organ or tissue. To create iPSCs, scientists genetically reprogram adult stem cells in vitro to behave like embryonic stem cells.

Cord blood stem cells and amniotic fluid stem cells are also different types of stem cells. Cord blood stem cells can be collected from the umbilical cord after birth and frozen in cell banks to be used if needed. Thanks to these cells, it is possible to treat leukemia and some genetic blood disorders. Likewise, there are stem cells in the amniotic fluid. Research continues to identify potential uses of stem cells in the amniotic fluid, the fluid that surrounds the baby in the womb.

Stem Cells Are Also Used in Skin Care

If you think that any cosmetic procedure is the only way to improve your skin quality, then you have not met stem cell treatments yet. Recently, the frequency of using stem cell treatments to fight wrinkles, improve skin transformation, and general appearance has been increasing. 

Human stem cells are unique because of their ability to divide. In some organs, they can become specialized to repair and replace damaged tissue. The proteins and amino acids of the stem cells act to rejuvenate the cells of the body, and a younger looking skin can be obtained. Amino acids and peptides have the property of being the building blocks of cell regeneration. In addition, stem cells naturally have antioxidant properties. They nourish skin cells that promote cell turnover and increase collagen production. This can result in younger, better-looking skin with fewer lines and wrinkles, better skin texture and tone.

Stem cells are mostly used in blood diseases today, and cases in which the bone marrow does not work due to blood cancer and hereditary anemia come first. When the bone marrow destruction caused by the aforementioned diseases is repaired, significant success is achieved in reproducing blood with stem cell applications. Stem cells can be used for pancreas in diabetes patients, spinal cord injuries, kidney failures, and degenerative brain diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Stem cells, which can be used in the treatment of many different diseases in dermatology and aesthetic surgery, can be used in cases of psoriasis, systemic sclerosis, extensive burns, lipodystrophy, epidermolysis bullosa, scleroderma, lipoatrophy, acne scars, wound and scar repair, wrinkles, skin aging, sun damage, and photoaging.