uses of stem cells

Question 1

heart disease

Answer 1

muscle tissue in the heart is damaged as a result of a heart attack, normally ireperably - this has been tried experimentally with some sucess already

Question 2

type 1 diabetes

Answer 2

with insulin-dependant diabetes the body’s own immune system destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas; patients have to inject insulin for life

Question 3

parkinson’s disease

Answer 3

the symptoms (shaking and rigidity) are caused by the death of dopamine-producing cells in the brain; drugs curently only delay the progress of the disease

Question 4

Alzheimer’s disease

Answer 4

brain cells are destroyed as a result of the build of ‘plaques’ of a protein called amyloid; drugs currently only alleviate the symptoms

Alzheimer’s can also be caused by changes to the gut microbiome

Question 5

macular degeneration

Answer 5

this condition is responsible for causing blindness in the elderly and diabetics; scientists arecurrently researching the use of stem cells in its treatment and early results are encouraging

Question 6

birth defects

Answer 6

scientists have already successfully reversed previously untreatable birth defects in modal organisms such as mice

Question 7

spinal injuries

Answer 7

scientits have restored some movement to hind legs of rats with damaged spinal cords using stem cell implants

Question 8

the treatment of burns

Answer 8

stem cells grown on biodegradable meshes can produce new skin for burn victims, this is quicker than the normal process of takng a graft from another part of the body

Question 9

drug trials

Answer 9

potential new drugs can be tested on cultures of stem cells before being tested on animals and humans