Riya Lakshman

10 March 2019

STEM CELLS : Possible

treatment for leukaemia revealed

Report on Animals, Page 1

 Riya Lakshman
10 March 2019

THE REALITY OF
LEUKAEMIA
Often described as “a cancer of blood-forming tissues, hindering
the body’s ability to fight infection”, leukaemia is sparked by an
increase in the number of white blood cells. As a result, the abnormal
white blood cells are not able to produce red blood cells and platelets.

The symptoms of leukaemia may be extremely subtle at first,

commonly including fatigue, unexplained fever, excessive bleeding
and abnormal bruising. Although the exact cause is often unclear,
scientific evidence suggests that certain changes in the DNA inside
normal bone marrow cells can cause them to eventually become
leukaemia cells.

Scientists now know that getting cancer is like being attacked by

a multi-headed monster: How can you really be sure which part did
the most damage? To tackle this problem, chemotherapy and stem cell
transplant are used effectively.

HOW DO STEM CELLS AND

THEIR PROPERTIES MATTER?
Out of the 79 organs in the complex human body, stem cells
have been identified in areas such as the brain, bone marrow, blood
vessels, skin, teeth, heart, gut, liver, testes, ovaries and numerous
other places.

Report on Animals, Page 2

 Riya Lakshman
10 March 2019

Stem cells are somatic cells which can divide and become
differentiated. In other words, when the organism grows, the
unspecialised stem cells become specialised and take up specific
functions. Stem cells have 2 key qualities:

a. Self Renewal – They can continuously divide and replicate.

b. Potency – They have the capacity to differentiate into

specialised cell types.

When the stem cell differentiates and becomes specialised, it

loses its capacity to form alternative cell types (present at various
stages of human development) :

1) Totipotent —> Can form any cell type, as well as extra-

embryonic tissue. eg. zygote

2) Pluripotent —> Can form any cell type. eg. embryonic stem
cells.

3) Multipotent – Can differentiate into a number of closely

related cell types. eg.haematopoeitic adult stem cells.

Report on Animals, Page 3

 Riya Lakshman
10 March 2019

4) Unipotent – Can not differentiate, but are capable of self

renewal. eg. muscle stem cells.

WHERE DO STEM CELLS COME FROM?

- Embryonic stem cells

- Adult stem cells

- Alteration of adult cells to have properties of embryonic stem

cells (induced pluripotent stem cells)

- Perinatal stem cells

SOME USES OF STEM CELLS:

- All other cell types may be derived from stem cells and hence,
are necessary for functions like embryonic development.

- There are quite a few cell types that are not capable of self-
renewal, such as amitotic nerve tissues. Because tissues like these

Report on Animals, Page 4

 Riya Lakshman
10 March 2019

cannot be regenerated, stem cells have become a viable therapeutic

option for regenerative medicine.

EXPERIMENTAL APPLICATIONS:

- Growing new cells in a laboratory to replace damaged organs

or tissues.

- Correct parts of organs that don’t work properly.

- Research causes of genetic defects in cells.

- Research how diseases occur or why certain cells develop into

cancer cells.

- Test new drugs for safety and effectiveness.

THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS OF STEM CELLS:

- Bone marrow transplant.

- Type 1 diabetes (by directing the embryonic stem cells to turn

into insulin-producing cells, they may be able to transplant the cells
into people with type 1 diabetes.)

- traumatic spinal cord injury

- severe burns

- rheumatoid arthritis

- heart disease

Report on Animals, Page 5

 Riya Lakshman
10 March 2019

- hearing loss

- retinal disease

ETHICS OF STEM CELL

RESEARCH
- Testing drugs on human stem cells eliminates the need to test
them on animals.

- STEM CELL RESEARCH CONTROVERSY:

Adult stem cells don’t present any ethical problems, but in

recent years, there has been controversy surrounding the way human
embryonic stem cells are obtained. During the process of harvesting
embryonic stem cells, the embryo is destroyed. This raises ethical
concerns for people who believe that the destruction of a fertilised
embryo is morally wrong.

Report on Animals, Page 6

 Riya Lakshman
10 March 2019

Report on Animals, Page 7