Stem cells are biological cells that can transform into any type of cell in the body and have the ability to renew themselves through cell division. They can develop into multiple cell types, such as blood cells, cells of the heart, skin, bones, muscles, brain, or others. Due to federal funding now available for stem cell research, scientists can now study medical treatments for many diseases that cord tissue could alleviate or treat:
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
A progressive, deadly brain disorder that destroys nerve cells in the brain, Alzheimer’s causes memory loss, behavioral changes, and loss of thinking/language skills. Previously, research for this disease has been done on animals, and has been ineffective because there is no animal “equivalent” to Alzheimer’s. Researchers are creating cell models of this disease in the lab using cells directly from Alzheimer’s patients, and testing new drugs on the human cells.
SPINAL CORD INJURY
Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis, include about 250,000 people in the U.S. The first trial that used humans to test embryonic stem cells was targeted to create ways to implant cells that could transmit nerve signals to muscles, allowing volunteers to have feeling returned in their lower extremities.
PARKINSON’S DISEASE
Stiffness, tremors, movement and speech problems occur when nerve cells responsible for movement stop sending signals to dopamine neurons. There are drugs that can lessen Parkinson’s symptoms, but not cure. Stem cell researchers are developing new drugs by using cord tissue to reprogram human skin cells in the lab, and exposing them to new drugs to get a favorable response so they can test on humans.
HIV/AIDS
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infects the immune system, prevents the body from fighting disease, and can lead to AIDS, causing cancer, infections, and even death. Stem cells could replace the person’s blood-forming cells through bone marrow transplants that were resistant to HIV infections by boosting the immune system.
DIABETES
An autoimmune disorder, diabetes is a condition where the body’s immune system destroys its own pancreatic cells that make insulin. This prevents cells from using sugar for food, and as it backs up in the kidneys, causes damage to eyes, blood vessels, and kidneys. Transplanting the cells in the pancreas from donated organs has been an answer, but can be rejected. Researchers have created procedures to replace insulin producing cells with those developed from stem cells.