Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Every cell contains a complete copy of “the blueprint of life” DNA consists of two strands of nucleotides - 4 bases (A,G,T,C) 23 pairs of chromosomes If unwound and tied together, human DNA in one cell would stretch ~ 5 feet, but would be only 50 trillionths of an inch wide! Genes are specific sequences of DNA, each of which “codes” for a protein with a specific function Genes are copied each time a cell divides, passing on the blueprint 1

Bone Marrow Found in spongy bone where blood cells form 12/4/2017 Bone Marrow Found in spongy bone where blood cells form Used to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. treat patients diagnosed with leukemia, aplastic anemia, and lymphomas Need a greater histological immunocompatibility

Blood Cell Formation

Umbilical cord stem cells 12/4/2017 Umbilical cord stem cells Also Known as Wharton’s Jelly Adult stem cells of infant origin Less invasive than bone marrow Greater compatibility Less expensive

Umbilical cord stem cells Three important functions: Plasticity: Potential to change into other cell types like nerve cells Homing: To travel to the site of tissue damage Engraftment: To unite with other tissues

Stem Cell Applications Tissue repair - nerve, heart, muscle, organ, skin Cancers Autoimmune diseases - diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, MS

Tissue Repair Regenerate spinal cord, heart tissue or any other major tissue in the body.

Heart Disease Adult bone marrow stem cells injected into the hearts are believed to improve cardiac function in victims of heart failure or heart attack

Leukemia and Cancer Studies show leukemia patients treated with stem cells emerge free of disease. Injections of stem cells have also reduces pancreatic cancers in some patients. Proliferation of white cells

Rheumatoid Arthritis Adult Stem Cells may be helpful in jumpstarting repair of eroded cartilage.

Type I Diabetes Pancreatic cells do not produce insulin Embryonic Stems Cells might be trained to become pancreatic islets cells needed to secrete insulin.

Stem cells in the adult brain: Adult stem cells are found all over your body. Here are a few examples of places in the body with stem cells. Who here has been told that brain cells never regenerate? (hands) Whoever told you that was misinformed! Relatively recently scientists discovered that in two specific parts of your brain, neural stem cells divide and differentiate to become neurons and glial cells, which support the growth of neurons. Without neural stem cells in the hippocampus, you would probably not be able to learn or remember. The top right picture is a cross-section of the rat hippocampus, and neural stem cells are the blue dots, which divide and differentiate to form mature neurons (green) and astrocytes (red). The bottom right picture is of cultured neural stem cells (just plain blue dots), and derived from those stem cells, neurons (blue dots surrounded by red) and oligodendrocytes (blue dots surrounded by green). 13

new research – reprogramming cells

Technical Challenges Source - Cell lines may have mutations. Delivery to target areas Prevention of rejection Suppressing tumors

Problems with Adult Stem Cells Mutations can lead to leukemia

Why is Stem Cell Research So Important to All of Us? Stem cells can replace diseased or damaged cells Stem cells allow us to study development and genetics Stem cells can be used to test different substances (drugs and chemicals)