Our+Benefits

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As we’ve already discovered, Sammy and his Stem Cell friends can generally transform into a variety of other cells, depending on their potency (see Who are we?)  So a stem cell like Sammy may be able to change into a skin cell, kidney cells, or, for that matter, any other cell in an organism.  This ability of stem cells has major, advantageous implications for two broad areas: the medical world and human beings, as a whole.   =1. __ ** The Medical World ** __=

 Medicine, as well as medical research, is always on the hunt to find treatments and cures for the various diseases that inflict pain or a level of burden on people. While much research has been done and progress made, there are still diseases and conditions which can’t yet be cured.  This is where stem cells, like Sammy and his friends, come into the picture.  Through Stem Cell Research – understanding and investigating the behaviour of stem cells, its uses and so on – we can better understand and even find cures for ailments such as Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) as well as other degenerative illnesses.  In some cases, using stem cells to treat an illness have already been effective.  Let’s look at Bone Marrow Treatments for Leukemia.  In the bone marrow of healthy humans, stem cells are responsible for the production of red blood cells. As a treatment for leukemia, the patient receives a transplant of bone marrow – that is, a transplant of ‘stem cells’, which then can produce healthy red blood cells for the patient. <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> In other cases, still currently being researched, the potential usefulness of stem cells is clear. <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> Let’s look at treating Multiple Sclerosis... <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> In a recent study involving 21 MS patients, each individual’s own stem cells were administered in the hope of stopping the glitch in the individual’s immune system. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> The study found: <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> “All 21 patients in the study had the "relapsing-remitting" form of the disease that makes their symptoms alternately fla     <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> re up and recede. Three years after being treated, on average, 17 of the patients had improved on tests of their symptoms, 16 had experienced no relapse, and none had deteriorated.” (The Boston Globe) <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> For more information, visit http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/01/31/dose_of_stem_cells_reverses_some_ms/ <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> So overall, stem cells can significantly further the progress made in the medical world and lead it in a new direction, where more and more diseases may one day be cured.

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> =2. __**Human Beings**__=

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> The benefit stem cells can bring to human beings, both in the present and in the future, is simple, yet quite monumental. A person’s health can be considerably improved; their ailments cured. <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> For sufferers of Parkinson’s disease, paralysis, multiple sclerosis, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, arthiritis, heart disease (just to name a few), a possible cure using stem cells would have a drastic impact on their daily lives, and on our society as a whole. <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> Imagine, for example, if Sammy the Stem cell was able to be grown into a human kidney. If a person were able to receive this kidney, they could possibly live a life away from and unencumbered by a dialysis machine. <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> For patients waiting for a vital organ transplant, organs grown from stem cells may mean less waiting and suffering time (usually demand for organs is high and supply is low). <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">“** We can further understand the benefits of stem cells, through looking at the advantages of both __Adult Stem Cells__ and __Embryonic Stem Cells__. I mean, just take a look at the box below!" **   <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">

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ADULT STEM CELLS
<span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">    Decreased likelihood of abnormal division (growth into a tumour) by the transplanted stem cells
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">    <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Decreased likelihood of rejection by the recipient since the recipient's own adult stem cells are often used in the treatment (autograft)
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">     Ethical issues involving the ‘life’ of an embryo is irrelevant

EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

 * <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Increased versatility: embryonic stem cells have the ability to change into a large variety of cells, so they may be able to act as potential cures for a wide range of illnesses.
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">  <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Potential medicines can be tested on batches of cells derived from stem cells, eliminating the need for the ‘laboratory guinea pig’, both animals and humans.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"> <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(28,94,156);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">  In Stem Cell research, an advantage may be argued to be that using unwanted IVF embryos as a source for stem cells gives purpose to those embryos.