Adult Stem Cells are uniform cells found in different tissues in the body such as blood, bone marrow and the brain. The main of adult stem cells in a living being is maintaining and repairing the tissues in which they are present. Today some researchers use a new term ‘somatic stem cell’ instead of adult stem cell. Adult stem cells are totally different from the embryonic stem cells because the source of these cells has been discovered earlier. Embryonic stem cells originate from the inner mass of the blastocyst, the source of adult stem cells in full-grown tissues comes from the bone marrow.
function
Recent research found many interesting facts related to these cells. But, specific properties of adult stem cells are not evident till now. Scientists continuing research in this field with the hope of finding a way to use these types of cells to renovate or reinstate damaged tissues or organs. Recently, researchers found the presence of these cells in many more tissues. This finding motivated scientists to conduct studies to check whether these cells are good for transplants. Adult blood forming stem cells that are obtained from the bone marrow have been used in transplants for the past few years. The research on these type of cells began around 40 years back. Scientists find an interesting fact in 1960’s that there are two types of stem cells in bone marrow, hematopoietic stem cells and bone marrow stromal cells. Bone marrow stromal cells are a kind of mixed cells that are capable of generating cartilage, fat, bone and fibrous connective tissue.
As adult stem cells are found in many organs and tissues, one of the main things to be noted is that there are a small number of stem cells in each tissue. It is reported that these cells are present in specific areas of the tissues and they remain inactive for several years until they are triggered by either disease or tissue injury. Brain, peripheral blood, blood vessels, bone marrow, skeletal muscle, skin and liver are the main tissues in which adult stem cells are present.
Today researchers around the world are trying to find out a new method to grow adult stem cells in cell culture and motivate them to create precise cell types. If the scientists succeed in this task we can use the artificial stem cells to treat injury or disease. Replacement of dopamine producing cells of brain in Parkinson's patients, making insulin producing cells for type I diabetes patients and restoring injured heart muscle subsequent to a heart attack with cardiac muscle cells are some of the main examples for treatment using stem cells.
A recent study conducted by the National Institute of Health reported that around 74 diseases could be treated using adult stem cells in therapy. Usually these kinds of therapies are costly and complex. Also, the main aim of stem cell therapies is to bring a large number of stem cells to the area that needs treatment. Stem cells required for the treatment can be gathered from the patient or an adult donor. These therapies using the stem cells are the best way for curing diseases.
A stable release of adult stem cells in a low volume into the bloodstream can help to maintain best possible health and fight against the effects of aging. Certain supplements are available today to increase the stimulation of stem cells. The usage of these supplements help to stimulate thousands of supplementary stem cells in the bloodstream. This method is now considered as the best possible way to maintain optimal health. These cells have the capability to restore and renew of injured cells and tissues in the body. Stimulating the adult stem cells that are present in the body is easy and it is the safest and well-organized way to rouse tissue renewal.
Recent research proved that the human body starts breakdown rapidly after the age of 35 years. The main reason for this weakening of health is due to the reduction in the flow of adult stem cells to the blood stream. Based on the past research, scientists reported that stem cells are integral part of the life. When a male sperm fertilizes a female egg, stem cells are produced as a result . This master cell has the capability to convert into several other tissue types. This factor helps the stem cells to convert into several types of cells as required by the body.
Bone marrow contains another type of adult stem cells named hematopoietic stem cells. These cells provide the blood cells for daily usage for the body and fight against infections. This stem cell is very easy to obtain when compared to the adult stem cells that are found in other tissues. It can be obtained directly from the bone marrow or by stimulating it to move to the peripheral blood stream to collect it. Several researches were conducted on hematopoietic stem cells over the past few years. These stem cells are first used in the therapies and also used to treat blood cancer and other blood disorders. A resent research proved that hematopoietic stem cells are very useful in the treatment of breast cancer and coronary artery diseases.
Mesenchymal stem cell is another type of adult stem cells that are found in born marrow. These cells have the capability to produce different types of cell in the laboratory such as muscles cells, fat cells, bone, cartilage, tendon and ligaments, skin cells and nerve cells. Several detailed studies are conducted on mesenchymal stem cells and now the researchers around the world have good knowledge regarding the production of these cells in culture.
Mesenchymal stem cells can be easily extracted unlike other human stem cells. This factor made mesenchymal stem cells an important thing for the use of tissue repair. The methods for separation and intensification of mesenchymal stem cells in culture have already been well known. Cells can be maintained using mesenchymal stem cells without losing the capability to form cell types such as muscles cells, fat cells, bone, cartilage, tendon and ligaments, skin cells and nerve cells.
Umbilical cord blood stem cells are another type of stem cells that are obtained from the umbilical cord right away after birth. Umbilical cord also contains several hematopoietic stem cells and these hematopoietic stem cells are typically referred to as neonatal stem cells. These neonatal stem cells are not much mature when compared to the stem cells that are present in the bone marrow of adults or children. The benefit of using cord blood for extracting stem cells is that cord blood is easily available due to the birth of thousands of babies per day. Usually, cord blood will be discarded following the birth along with he placenta. Today in many countries the authorities collect the cord blood and keep it in laboratories for general use. Recent research proved that umbilical cord blood stem cells could be used in the treatment for leukemia and other blood disorders instead of hematopoietic stem cells. Umbilical cord blood has several important factors despite its high content of immune cells. Cord blood does not make strong graft-versus-host disease, a state in which the graft immune cells attack the body cells of the patient.