Articles
Stem cells: What they are and what they do
What is stem cell therapy (regenerative medicine), and how does it work?
Content
What are stem cells?
Why is there such an interest in stem cells?
Where do stem cells come from?
Why is there a controversy about using embryonic stem cells?
Where do these embryos come from?
Why can't researchers use adult stem cells instead?
What are stem cell lines and why do researchers want to use them?
What is stem cell therapy (regenerative medicine) and how does it work?
Have stem cells already been used to treat diseases?
What are the potential problems with using embryonic stem cells in humans?
What is therapeutic cloning, and what benefits might it offer?
Has therapeutic cloning in people been successful?
Have stem cells already been used to treat diseases?
Yes. Doctors have performed stem cell transplants, also known as bone marrow transplants. In stem cell transplants, stem cells replace cells damaged by chemotherapy or disease or serve as a way for the donor's immune system to fight some types of cancer and blood-related diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma and multiple myeloma. These transplants use adult stem cells or umbilical cord blood.
Researchers are testing adult stem cells to treat other conditions, including a number of degenerative diseases such as heart failure.
