What are stem cells? Click on the title to watch the intro video! cells that have the ability to develop into many different cell types needed during growth and development can divide and make more of themselves for long periods of time are unspecialized (don’t have a specific job) can reproduce into specialized cells (new cells that can do a specific job)

What are stem cells?

Differentiated vs. Undifferentiated differentiated cells cells that have a very specific structure and function Ex: muscle cells, nerve cells, skin cells, etc. undifferentiated cells cells that are not programmed to have a specific structure and function produce cells that are differentiated Ex: stem cells

What are stem cells?

Major Types of Stem Cells adult (somatic) stem cells embryonic stem (ES) cells induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells therapeutic cloning stem cells For all of these types, we’ll need to consider 4 important pieces of information: What are they Potential and/or current medical uses Special considerations Ethical concerns

Adult Stem Cells What are they also called somatic stem cells exist naturally in many locations in all people

Adult Stem Cells What are they cells that produce new differentiated cells for growth, healing, and replacing cells that are lost through daily wear and tear

Adult Stem Cells Potential/current medical uses blood and bone marrow stem cells are used for blood-related treatments growing organs on non-living tissues for transplant

Adult Stem Cells Special considerations are partially differentiated EX: bone marrow stem cells can create blood cells, but they can’t create muscle cells

Adult Stem Cells Special considerations can be transferred from one person to another, but without medication, they will be destroyed by the new patient’s immune system

Adult Stem Cells Ethical concerns generally are not controversial

Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells What are they cells are formed after fertilization as a normal part of embryonic development can be isolated from an early embryo and grown in a dish

Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells What are they first isolated (grown in a dish) in Madison, WI in 1998 by Dr. James Thomson

Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells Where do they embryos come from donated by couples from fertility clinics

Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells Potential/current medical uses can become any type of cell in the body are a promising source of cells for treating many diseases

Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells Special considerations without the help of medication, a patient's immune system will attack any implanted ES cells

Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells Ethical concerns when ES cells are created in the lab, they destroy an embryo that has the potential to develop into a baby

Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells Ethical concerns to avoid this controversy, in recent years some researchers have focused their efforts on creating stem cells that don't require the destruction of embryos

Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells Ethical concerns Besides being donated for medical research, what else happens to leftover embryos from fertility clinics? Donating to other infertile couples Thawing without donating

Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells Ethical concerns Besides being donated for medical research, what else happens to leftover embryos from fertility clinics? Compassionate transfer (implanting when pregnancy would be unlikely) Postponing the decision

Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells What are they cells created artificially in a lab by "reprogramming" a patient's own cells can be made from readily available cells including fat and skin cells

Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells Potential/current medical uses being researched, but human iPS cells could become any cell in the body

Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells Potential/current medical uses promising source of cells for treating many diseases no danger of immune system rejection

Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells Special considerations less expensive than therapeutic cloning the "reprogramming" process introduces genetic changes, and the safety of using iPS cells in patients is unclear

Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells Ethical concerns because no embryos are destroyed, iPS cells are MUCH less controversial

Therapeutic Cloning Stem Cells What are they embryonic stem (ES) cells created using the patient’s own genetic material

Therapeutic Cloning Stem Cells Potential/current medical uses can, in theory, generate ES cells with the potential to become any type of cell in the body no danger of rejection by the immune system

Therapeutic Cloning Stem Cells Special considerations in 2013, for the first time, a group of researchers used therapeutic cloning to make ES cells the donor nucleus came from a child with a rare genetic disorder the cloning process is difficult and expensive

Therapeutic Cloning Stem Cells Ethical concerns brings up many ethical questions involves creating a clone of a human being and destroying the cloned embryo and it requires a human egg donor