The Science of Stem Cell Research...

[IamtheVOICE123]

Note: This is a pure scientific discussion for the information of Stemcell research. Keep politics out of this discussion.

Hello there everyone; I was somewhat curious about the science of Stem Cell Research. I know a somewhat brass knowledge on the subject (being not actively knowing much in this field of science) but I was wondering if anyone would like to contribute their knowledge on the particular subject.

 

[Lunar Sonata]

Could you be a bit more specific?

It's kind of asking a lot for someone to just completely lay out the entire framework behind stem cell research without first inquiring into what you wish to know.

 

[Ozymandyus]

The very basics are: We know there are cells that can change into any human tissue, which is obvious to anyone that knows that human life begins from a single cell. We also see partially undifferentiated cells in adults which add in tissue repair, growth, brain plasticity, etc.

Stem cell research looks to be able to repair organs by implanting such stem cells into injured areas: examples, stem cells can become healthy heart tissue in a patient with heart disease, healthy lung tissue in a patient with emphysema , or healthy nerve tissue in a patient with a severed spine. Think of it like a partial transplant, instead of trying to transplant already grown tissue which cannot 'fit' properly to the old organ, you to help the organ regrow its various tissues.

You can't put two halves of two separate kidneys together and make them work - none of the blood vessels and other structures will match up. You have to Regrow the other part of the organ, or completely replace it. Because you are regrowing multiple cell structures, not just kidney tissue but venous tissue and nephrons and other complex cellular structures, you need something that can adapt to fill various needs.

 

[IamtheVOICE123]

Could you be a bit more specific?

It's kind of asking a lot for someone to just completely lay out the entire framework behind stem cell research without first inquiring into what you wish to know.

I have a basic knowledge of the subject myself. My asking was about how the idea was about the possibilities of cloning specific organs using stem cell research; and what are the procedures involved into doing it (if it is already being implemented).

 

[Sparky]

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml

This site has some interesting info on therapeutic cloning.

Scroll down to the heading "Can organs be cloned for use in transplants?" and read that. It gives a concise explanation of therapeutic cloning applied to the production of cloned organs.

 

[IamtheVOICE123]

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml

This site has some interesting info on therapeutic cloning.

Scroll down to the heading "Can organs be cloned for use in transplants?" and read that. It gives a concise explanation of therapeutic cloning applied to the production of cloned organs.

Thanks for the information, I will go over it tomorrow (battery is very low, need to recharge the mouse).

 

[MachineSp1rit]

oh i had a lecture on that recently.