In adults, stem cells are within various tissues and organs, including bone marrow, liver, epidermis, retina, skeletal muscle, intestine, brain, dental pulp, etc. Neural stem cells have even been removed from areas of the brain of cadavers as late as twenty hours following death.
Stem cell research with embryonic stem cells has garnered absolutely no evidence of any promising results. None. Zero. Nada. One must wonder what people like Michael J. Fox and others are so up in arms about. There is a Hollywood element to this story that stirs up emotion and rhetoric but has no sustenance. We all feel sorry for Michael J. Fox as he shakes from the effects of Parkinson’s disease, but he won’t find a cure with embryonic stem cells. He needs to turn his attention to adult stem cells.
Embryonic stem cell disadvantages are many: 1) difficult to differentiate uniformly and homogeneously into a target tissue, 2) immunogenic – ES cells from a random embryo death are likely to be rejected, 3) tumorigenic – they tend to form tumors and promote tumor growth, 4) destruction of human life.
Adult stem cells, however, have many advantages, and NONE of the disadvantages of embryonic stem cells: 1) adult stem cells from bone marrow and umbilical cords are already specialized and transplantation is simpler. In other words, the new host does not reject them. 2) relative ease of harvesting, 3) non-tumorigenic – they don’t form tumors, and 4) they do no harm to the donor.
Here is just a sampling of the success that adult stem cells have provided:
1) Spinal cord injury repair and regeneration of the nerves
2) Leukemia remission and cures
3) Krabbe’s Leukodystrophy – a rare degenerative enzyme disorder of the nervous system – patient’s treated with adult stem cells are cured and thriving several years after the transplant
4) Parkinson’s disease – (someone please alert Michael J. Fox to this!) Doctors have injected adult neural stem cells into the brain of Parkinson’s disease patients and the symptoms (extreme shaking) disappeared completely. Patients are cured! Yes, cured! Why the national media pays no attention to this is beyond me.
Although the topic has not been in the spotlight lately, it lingers. It will resurface again. When it does, let’s all be voices of reason and truth – promote the continued success and research of adult stem cells and stop wasting money on embryonic stem cells.
Other articles and science reports on Adult Stem Cells.
Check, E., Cardiologists take heart from stem-cell treatment success, Nature 428(6986):880, 29 April 2004: "Adult stem cells have long been viewed as less flexible than embryonic stem cells, which can divide to produce any cell type in the body. But recent studies of human cells suggest that adult stem cells can also turn into many cell types, including heart, brain and liver cells."
Terada, N. et al., Bone marrow cells adopt the phenotype of other cells by spontaneous cells fusion, Nature (416(6880):542–545, 4 April 2002.
Cohen, P., Stem cells could save sight, New Scientist 175:(2354):18, 3 August 2002.
Stem cells do their stuff for Parkinson’s patient, New Scientist 174(2338):5, 13 April 2002.
Randerson, J., Stem cells fix the damage, New Scientist 177(2377):14, 11 January 2003.
Pluchino, S. et al., Injection of adult neurospheres induces recovery in a chronic model of multiple sclerosis, Nature 422(6933):688–694, 17 April 2003.
Jochen Ringe et al., Stem cells for regenerative medicine: advances in the engineering of tissues and organs, Naturwissenschaften 89(8), August 2002.
About the Formulator of StemEnhance - Christian Drapeau
Mr. Drapeau, a foremost scientist in the study of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, holds a Masters of Science degree in Neurology and Neurosurgery from the Montreal Neurological Institute, an affiliate of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He has been extensively involved in the study of nutrition, naturopathy, and various natural therapies.
Most significantly, Mr. Drapeau collaborated with many scientists affiliated with Harvard University, McGill University, the University of Illinois, Oregon State University, the University of New Mexico, and the University of Mississippi in the study of the effects of blue-green algae (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) on human health. Mr. Drapeau continues his involvement in the clinical study of AFA.
Circulating stem cells can reach various organs and become cells of that organ, helping such organ regain and maintain optimal health. Recent studies have suggested that the number of circulating stem cells is a key factor; the higher the number of circulating stem cells the greater is the ability of the body at healing itself. What happens to stem cells if they do not reach a tissue? Stem cells released from the bone marrow that do not reach a tissue simply return to the bone marrow after some timeCheck, E., Cardiologists take heart from stem-cell treatment success, Nature 428(6986):880, 29 April 2004: "Adult stem cells have long been viewed as less flexible than embryonic stem cells, which can divide to produce any cell type in the body. But recent studies of human cells suggest that adult stem cells can also turn into many cell types, including heart, brain and liver cells."
Terada, N. et al., Bone marrow cells adopt the phenotype of other cells by spontaneous cells fusion, Nature (416(6880):542–545, 4 April 2002.
Cohen, P., Stem cells could save sight, New Scientist 175:(2354):18, 3 August 2002.
Stem cells do their stuff for Parkinson’s patient, New Scientist 174(2338):5, 13 April 2002.
Randerson, J., Stem cells fix the damage, New Scientist 177(2377):14, 11 January 2003.
Pluchino, S. et al., Injection of adult neurospheres induces recovery in a chronic model of multiple sclerosis, Nature 422(6933):688–694, 17 April 2003.
Jochen Ringe et al., Stem cells for regenerative medicine: advances in the engineering of tissues and organs, Naturwissenschaften 89(8), August 2002.
About the Formulator of StemEnhance - Christian Drapeau
Mr. Drapeau, a foremost scientist in the study of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, holds a Masters of Science degree in Neurology and Neurosurgery from the Montreal Neurological Institute, an affiliate of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He has been extensively involved in the study of nutrition, naturopathy, and various natural therapies.
Most significantly, Mr. Drapeau collaborated with many scientists affiliated with Harvard University, McGill University, the University of Illinois, Oregon State University, the University of New Mexico, and the University of Mississippi in the study of the effects of blue-green algae (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) on human health. Mr. Drapeau continues his involvement in the clinical study of AFA.
United States Patent Patent No.: 6,814,961 B1 Date of Patent: November 9, 2004 Subj: METHOD FOR ENHANCING STEM CELL PHYSIOLOGY Inventors: Gitte S. Jensen and Christian Drapeau
