Stem Cells in the Spotlight Louisa A. Stark, Ph.D.

Overview  What is a Stem Cell ?  Why are we interested in stem cells?  Where do stem cells exist?  How are stem cells collected ?  Why are stem cells interesting to researchers ?  What are current and future stem cell treatments?  What support exists for stem cell research?

  The building blocks of the body   A cell whose job in the body is not yet determined   Every other cell in the body “stems” from this type of cell What is a Stem Cell?   A stem cell specializes into a particular cell depending upon the signals it receives

What is a Stem Cell? Stem Cell Guy!

To repair a damaged tissue that can not heal itself.   spinal cord nerve cells   diabetes (pancreas)   heart disease   blood disorders   burns   neurological disorders Why Are We Interested in Stem Cells?

“Adult” (developed) tissues bone marrow Where do Stem Cells Exist? Umbilical cord blood

Fetus Where do Stem Cells Exist?

Early embryo Blastocyst Developing embryo

all Can become types of cells in the body most Can become types of cells in the body some Can become types of cells in the body Why are the Different Kinds of Stem Cells Interesting to Researchers? Use of some of these kinds of stem cells is controversial.

Bone marrow Blood How are Adult Stem Cells Collected?

How are Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells Collected?

  Prematurely terminated fetuses How are Fetal and Embryonic Stem Cells Collected? Associated Press   Surplus in vitro fertilized (IVF) eggs

 What is a stem cell?  Where are stem cells found?  How are stem cells collected? Stem Cells in the Spotlight

  from IVF embryos   Nearly 400,000 IFV embryos are in storage in the US; almost as many are discarded each year Creating Stem Cells in the Laboratory

Stem Cell Lines for Federally-funded Research

  therapeutic cloning/regenerative medicine   Our genetic material, DNA, is packaged into chromosomes.   Every cell in our body has the same genetic material Creating Stem Cells in the Laboratory DNA Cell Chromosomes

Creating Stem Cells in the Laboratory Embryonic stem cells from therapeutic cloning

Creating Stem Cells in the Laboratory Embryonic stem cells from therapeutic cloning

Creating Stem Cells in the Laboratory

Embryonic stem cells from therapeutic cloning Creating Stem Cells in the Laboratory

Embryonic stem cells from therapeutic cloning Creating Stem Cells in the Laboratory

 Creating stem cells in the laboratory  IVF embryos  Therapeutic cloning/regenerative medicine Stem Cells in the Spotlight

all Can become types of cells in the body most Can become types of cells in the body some Can become types of cells in the body LeukemiaDiabetesSpinal Cord Injuries Why are the Different Kinds of Stem Cells Interesting to Researchers?

Leukemia   Disease: cancer of the blood   Symptoms: easy bruising or bleeding, fatigue   Treatments:   chemotherapy   radiation therapy   stem cell therapy   bone marrow transplant   circulating blood stem cells   umbilical cord blood stem cells Stem Cell Treatments Can become SOME types of cells

Diabetes   Disease: Type I, disorder of the body’s immune system against the insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas   Symptoms: extreme thirst, frequent urination, drowsiness, vision changes; can lead to blindness, kidney or heart disease   Treatments:   insulin injections   islet transplants   stem cell therapy (experimental models)   embryonic stem cells from mice can specialize into insulin-producing cells   researchers are exploring using proteins to spur cell differentiation Stem Cell Treatments Can become MOST types of cells

Spinal Cord Injuries   Damage is irreversible in a nerve cell   Structures: dendrites and axons   Experimental treatments (model systems)   treat ESCs to mature into nerve cells before transplantation (in vitro)   directly implant and depend on signals from the brain to mature the cells   lab rats transplanted with ESCs   human ESCs transplanted into rats Stem Cell Treatments Can become ALL types of cells Neuron axon dendrites

Heart Disease   Adult bone marrow stem cells injected into heart arteries are believed to improve cardiac function in victims of heart attack or heart failure Stem Cell Treatments Rheumatoid Arthritis   In human trials, joint pain lessened temporarily after adult stem cell therapy in some patients, and some then responded better to standard drug therapy

How might cloned embryonic stem cells be used?   Exact genetic match for patient   Potential to become all types of cells   Challenge: how to direct the stem cells to specialize Stem Cell Treatments

How about using stem cells for cosmetics?   Fat tissue with stem cells taken from stomach or thighs   Used to create new fat cells and coax the growth of new blood vessels   Stem cells from fat could be used for repairing heart muscle, bone fractures, and other stem cell therapies   Doctors repaired a large gap in a young girl’s skull using a bone graft and fat stem cells Stem Cell Treatments

Could stem cells be used for organ transplants?   Choose the right type of stem cell   Coax to grow and divide   Feed with signals to differentiate   Provide a physical scaffold Stem Cell Treatments in the Future

Could we direct stem cells in the body to behave a certain way? Stem Cell Treatments in the Future

SCIENCE SUMMARY  The basics of stem cells   Current and future research and medical treatment possibilities   The different types of stem cells Early embryonic ALL cells spinal cord injuries therapeutic cloning Embryonic/fetal MOST cells diabetes limited research resources Adult SOME cells leukemia possibly specialized already Stem Cells in the Spotlight

U.S. House of Representatives Passed “Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act”   Bill would allow the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund stem cell research using embryos from fertility clinics that otherwise would be discarded   Embryos could only be used if the donors agreed and were not paid Stem Cell Legislation – May 2005 Vote = 238 to 194 *short of the 2/3 supermajority necessary to override a presidential veto

  53% of adults back “Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act”   35% disagree with the proposal   12% didn't know or declined to answer Public Opinion Poll – Salt Lake Tribune June 8-10, 2005 In support of this legislation: Senators Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett and Rep. Jim Matheson Oppose this legislation:Reps. Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon

 When does life begin?  Should surplus IVF embryos be used for research?  Is an embryo from therapeutic cloning considered a human life?  What is acceptable use of stem cell technology? Medical treatments? Cosmetic enhancements?  What do you want your tax money to fund? Controversies

More Information – Genetic Science Learning Center Website

The Eccles Institute of Human Genetics University of Utah Special Thanks