Adult Stem Cells and Stem Cell Therapies - Lecture 21

Question 1

What is a progenitor cell?

Answer 1

○ Some capacity to proliferate
○ Potential to differentiate into one or more cell types

Question 2

How were hematopoietic stem cells first identified?

Answer 2

Acute radiation syndrome: most sensitive to radiation as they are constantly replaced and undergo rapid cell division

Question 3

What is the functional assay for hematopoietic stem cells?

Answer 3

In vivo transplantation into lethally irradiated adult mice resulting in long-term repopulation of all blood lineages

Question 4

What are bone marrow transplants?

Answer 4

○ First successful stem cell therapy
○ Transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells to treat diseases like leukemia
○ Stem cells can now be harvested from peripheral blood instead of bone marrow

Question 5

Why are some people more resistant to HIV?

Answer 5

Have mutations encoding the protein that HIV uses to infect T-cells (CCR5) - don’t have CCR5 receptor

Question 6

How have child leukemias been treated?

Answer 6

Combine hematopoietic cells with gene editing technologies

Question 7

What is limbal stem therapy?

Answer 7

Uses stem cells from the cornea to treat a type of blindness

Question 8

What is skin stem cell therapy?

Answer 8

○ Keratinocyte stem cells used to treat burn injuries
○ Used in the treatment if junctional epidermolysis bullosa (painful condition where skin falls off)

Question 9

What advancements have been made with ES and iPS cells?

Answer 9

○ Scientists can now direct differentiation of specific cell types
○ Could be used to treat many degenerative medicines
○ Examples: age-related macular degenaration, parkinsons, demyelination diseases, diabetes

Question 10

How have myelination diseases been treated?

Answer 10

Differentiating iPS or embryonic stem cells into glial progenitor cells