How have stem cells helped humanity?
Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s disease is caused by cell death in several areas of the brain leading to loss of memory and cognitive abilities. Stem cells could be genetically modified to deliver substances to the Alzheimer brain that would stop cells from dying and stimulate the function of existing cells. This is currently working, having been conducted in a Phase 1 clinical trial, and has shown slowing progression of the disease (1).
Stroke.
Stroke is caused when the brain receives an inadequate amount of blood due to a blockage (called ischaemic stroke) or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into the spaces surrounding the other brain cells (called hemorrhagic stroke). Either way, this causes brain cells to die when the stop receiving oxygen. One therapy to treat the resulting damage is to transplant neural (brain) stem cells into the affected areas of the brain, in order to regenerate the damaged or lost neurons and other related cells. This has shown positive results in animal models (1).
Myocardial infarction.
Heart attacks often cause irreversible damage to cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells) that can have a detrimental effect on cardiac function. Adult stem cells can be coaxed into differentiating into cardiomyocytes to regenerate the scar tissue, the success of which has been seen in tests on the mouse model (2).
Sickle Cell Disease.
In a patient suffering from sickle cell disease, the bone marrow in the body produces blood cells with excessive amounts of hemoglobin S, resulting in the “sickle” shape of the red blood cell, and the corresponding complications. Through bone marrow transplant, the person with sickle cells receives new bone marrow, and the hematopoietic stem cells that come along with it do not produce red blood cells with hemoglobin S, and cures the person of sickle cell disease. As of now, bone marrow transplant is the only cure for sickle cell disease and it offers an 85% chance of cure (3)!
Spinal Cord Injury.
Any injury to the spinal cord may result in the loss of neurons (brain cells) and degeneration of axons (nerve cells). However, scientists are researching ways to create biomaterial scaffolds that will allow axons to grow as well as deliver neural stem cells that will provide support for existing cells or directly replace the neurons themselves. This prospective therapy is still being developed in the lab and as such has not been implemented (6).
Muscular dystrophy.
The most severe form of muscular dystrophy, or muscle wasting disease, is called Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). It is caused by a genetic defect that prevents the production of a protein called dystrophin, without which muscles are easily damaged. Currently, doctors are investigating stem cell therapies that will produce healthy muscle fibers from myoblasts, using mesoangioblasts, which are stem cells that can form dystrophin-producing muscle fibers. The second goal is to reduce inflammation to slow down muscle degeneration, using mesenchymal stem cells. These therapies are also still being developed and are in the pre-clinical stage (7).
Who are the innovators in the field?
Private Corporations and Other Institutions
The Gladstone Institute. Based in San Francisco, the Gladstone Institute is focused on biomedical research to solve diseases within cardiovascular medicine, virology and immunology, and neurological medicine. Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, the developer of the induced-pluripotent stem cell, has lead many studies at this institute (4)
The Genetics Policy Institute. The GPI is a worldwide leading promoter and defender of stem cell research and other cutting-edge medical research. By building a cooperative network between all the different stakeholders in the field, such as patient advocates, scientists, physicians, and others, it has been able to communicate and educate the world about stem cell research and developmental biology (3).
Universities
Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Created in 2002, this institution has been trailblazing in the regenerative medicine field. Its ultimate goal is to translate knowledge about stem cells into new medical therapies for the world (1).
UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures. The Sacramento campus of the University of California, Davis Medical Center has housed the institute along with its renowned Good Manufacturing Practice facility. Here the goal of researchers is to translate benchside advancements to bedside therapies (2).