Imagine if doctors were able to reverse age-related, chronic degeneration and bring the body back to its original health and vigor. While far too early to know if regenerative medicine will ever be a reality, research on stem cells opens up the possibility.
Stem cells can come from a variety of sources. people with severe burns on the outmost Adult stem cells are candidates for regen-layer of their eyes (the cornea) by using
erative medicine approaches for several
stem cells grown in the laboratory.
reasons—doctors can use the patient’s own
Researchers are also looking for alterna-
stem cells; stem cells can develop into nearly tives to stem cells that have similar healing any type of cell based on where they are
abilities and can be used in regenerative
inserted and other factors; and stem cells
medicine. It appears that certain cells,
continue to function normally during an
like skin cells, can be reprogrammed to
almost infinite number of cell divisions,
act as artificial stem cells, called induced
making them essentially immortal. There-
pluripotent cells.
fore, in theory, if stem cells were inserted in a
damaged part of the body, they could develop Many questions about stem cell (and into area-specific cells that could potentially
induced pluripotent cell) therapy need to be
restore function. But does that work? That’s
answered: Do older adults have enough stem
what researchers are trying to find out.
cells for this type of therapy or do they need
to be donated from someone else? Would
Findings from early research on regen-
erative medicine, primarily in animal
creating stem cells from an older person’s
models, show potential for stem cell treat-
skin cells work? Would stem cell therapy restore
ment. For example, inserting mouse ovarian health and vigor to an older person or only cells created from a female donor’s stem
work in a younger person? How would stem
cells into infertile mice restored the mice’s
cell therapy work on the cellular level—would
ability to reproduce. Another study in
stem cells replace the non-functioning cells
mice found that function could be restored
or would they reactivate and repair the dam-
to injured muscle tissue by reactivating
aged cells? Would stem cell therapy work in
existing stem cells rather than transplanting all areas of the body, or only in some areas?
new ones. The ability to reactivate dormant
While many questions remain, the prospect
adult stem cells continues to be investigated. of regenerative medicine could have impor-In a 2010 Italian study with human partici-
tant implications for the treatment of many
pants, researchers restored vision to some
degenerative diseases.
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METABOLISM