B6.3.17 Flashcards
What is an organ transplant
Damaged organs can be replaced with donated organs. When an organ is donated, doctors carefully match it with the recipient. If an organ is incorrectly matched, the body will recognise the organ as a foreign material and destroy it.
How to reduce the risk of rejection
Tissues are matched, ensuring that the recipient receives a donated organ with a similar tissue type. For example they must have the same blood type.
Immunosuppressant drugs are given to the recipient, which reduce the effect of the body’s immune system. These drugs increase the chance of a donated organ being accepted.
How are embryonic stem cells used to treat medical conditions
They contain many stem cells, which can differentiate into any cell in the human body. Fertility treatments produce many embryos that are not implanted; these are a source of stem cells.
What can stem cells be used for
. Testing new drugs for safety and effectiveness, before testing them on animals and humans
. Potentially reversing the damage caused by diseases Including;
.Manufacturing new brain cells
.Rebuilding bones and cartilage
.Making replacement heart valves
What does stem cell therapy offer
It offers potential to treat many medical conditions. However, concerns remain about long term side effects, such as an increased risk of cancer and rejection of foreign materials in the body.
