There has been a lot of conversation in the media about stem cell research but lots of people are not aware of adult stem cells. The media speaks of embryonic stem cells but adult stem cells are very significant as well. Firstly, the adult stem cells are found amid differentiated cells in tissues and organs of our body. So, what does that mean precisely? The main role of adult stem cells is to maintain and overhaul tissue in which they are found. They are found in all tissues of the budding human being and are assumed to have the ability to change themselves into other cell categories. Stem cells can be found in numerous organs and tissues of the human body including the bone marrow, peripheral blood, brain, skeletal muscle, blood vessels, skin, heart, liver, gut, ovarian epithelium, testis and even the teeth. Quite often, the cells will remain inactive in their present organs and split when they are required. The cells will split when repair is required in the case of an unhealthy or injured tissue.

For voluminous years, it was believed that the reprogramming of stem cells was impossible, until lately when cells called pluripotent stem cells were discovered. These cells were discovered in numerous human tissues such as the spinal cord, the brain and the connective tissue of several organs and the blood in the umbilical cord. These specific cells are adept of forming numerous cell categories, specifically blood, muscle and nerve cells. This finding has revealed that adult stem cells in tissues hold a greater potential than formerly assumed. Stem cells are being observed at much more closely now owing to its properties. If the research concerning stem cell is meant to be used for therapeutic purposes, the usage of stem cells can be very encouraging. Very promising treatment has already befallen with adult stem cells. The treatment of serious sicknesses has been found to be efficacious since there are no rejection reactions. There are no reactions simply as the cells are from the same body. Research continues on the advantages of using stem cells and promising findings are being made daily. There are some drawbacks of using stem cells but the benefits out weight them and as research continue; the prerequisite for embryonic stem cells will continue to lessen.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Stem Cells Treatment

Stem therapy is the newly revealed type of treatment acknowledged to be more effective than the other treatments available nowadays. We have heard and read lots of patient testimonials from TVs and internet on how effective stem treatment is for their sicknesses. However, we are not that sure if they are telling us the truth or they are being used by entrepreneurs for advertising to make them earn gigantic profit from this newest medical craze. In this world run by economic system and puzzling order of laws, we are becoming confused on which is which, what is real from not and what is the correct choice to opt for ourselves. In this article, we are going to handle the pros and cons of the most questioned part of medical advancement which centers on stem cells.

Advantages

• It offers medical advantages in the arenas of therapeutic cloning and regenerative medicine.
• It offers great potential for ascertaining treatments and cures to a multiplicity of ailments including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injuries, cancer,diabetes, etc.
• Limbs and organs could be developed in a lab from stem cells and then used in transplants or to help treat diseases.
• It will help scientists to learn about human development and cell growth.
• Scientists and doctors will be able to test billions of prospective drugs and medication, without the use of animals or human samples. This necessitates a process of simulating the effect the drug has on a particular populace of cells. This would tell if the drug is beneficial or has any problems.
• Stem cell research also benefits the study of development stages that cannot be studied directly in a human embryo, which sometimes are linked with major clinical consequences such as birth defects, pregnancy loss and infertility. A more comprehensive understanding of normal development will ultimately consent the prevention or treatment of uncharacteristic human development.
• Stem cell research also benefits the study of development phases that cannot be studied straight in a human embryo, which at times are related with major clinical consequences such as birth deficiencies, pregnancy-loss and infertility. A more comprehensive understanding of normal development will eventually permit the prevention or treatment of uncharacteristic human development.
• A benefit of the usage of adult stem cells to treat disease is that a patient’s own cells could be used to treat a patient. Hazards would be relatively reduced as patients’ bodies would not reject their own cells.
• Embryonic stem cells can develop into any cell categories of the body and might then be more versatile than adult stem cells.

Disadvantages

• The usage of embryonic stem cells for research encompasses the destruction of blastocysts formed from laboratory-fertilized human eggs. For those individuals who believe that life starts at conception, the blastocyst is a human life and to abolish it is immoral and objectionable.
• Like any other new technology, it is also totally unknown what the long-standing effects of such an interference with nature could emerge.
• Embryonic stem cells might not be the solution for all sicknesses.
• As per a new research, stem cell therapy was used on heart disease patients. It was found that it can make their coronary arteries slenderer.
• A drawback of most adult stem cells is that they are per-specialized, for example, blood stem cells make only blood and brain stem cells make only brain cells.
• These are derived from embryos that are not a patient’s own and the patient’s body might reject them. However, this has as solution now.
• Another shortcoming of stem treatment is its accessibility, for now there are only few medical institutions that offer stem treatment.