Stem Cell
- What is stem cell?
- Classification of stem cells
- The reasons of stem cell differentiation
- Advantages of stem cell differentiation
- Advantages of stem cell transplant
- Side effects of stem cell transplant
What is Stem Cell?
Stem cells are the original cells of human body which has the ability of self-renewing and multiple differentiation of other tissues. As we know, the body derives from one oosperm. Because oosperm has the whole set of genes and are the most original cells which can differentiate all the tissues and cells of the body. Oosperm is the most advanced stem cell . In certain conditions, stem cells can differentiate the necessary cells which are used by people to treat some diseases, like Chronic Kidney Disease.
Classification of stem cells
1. According to the differentiation function, stem cells are divided into three types:
Totipotent Stem Cells: this kind of stem cells can differentiate all cells and tissues of the body, like oosperm.
Multipotent stem cells: this kind of stem cells can differentiate into certain kinds of cells or tissues but can't divide into all tissues and cells of the whole body, like hemopoietic stem cell which differentiate only red cells, white cells, and platelets and other blood cells.
Unipotent stem cells: this kind of stem cells derives from multipotent stem cells and only can differentiate into one certain cells, such as red cells.
2. According to the source, stem cells can be divided into embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.
Embryonic stem cells derive from the inner cell mass when oosperm differentiates into blastosphere. This kind of stem cells have the ability of dividing into all cells and tissues of the whole body.
Adult stem cells resist in every body universally. This kind of stem cells can divide into some certain cells and tissues of the body. There are many tissues and organs which have the ability of renewing like skin and hemopoietic system, in which the adult stem cells play the renewing role. In common conditions, once there are damaged or dead cells in the body, the adult stem cells can differentiate into the new cells and repair the damaged cells , keeping the normal physiological functions like hemopoietic stem cell, Epithelial stem cells.
The reasons of stem cell differentiation
1. Containing the whole set of genetic gene.
2. Staying the undifferentiation condition.
3. Having the powerful proliferating ability
4. The daughter cells have the inherent features as the riginal cells.
5. In certain condition there are inducing factors, like the signals of the damaged cells or organs.
Advantages of stem cell differentiation
1. Stem cells are not the final cells of differentiation. That means the differentiated cells can continue to divide into other cells.
2. Stem cells can proliferate unlimitedly.
3. Stem cells can divide continuously for many time and also can stay in idle state, such as only when there is blood insufficiency or too much dead blood cells in the body, the hemopoietic stem cell can play hematopoiesis function, or they will stay in idle state.
Stem cells transplant: according to the specific disease condition of every patient, we cultivate the special stem cells and inject into the patients'body by vein just like injection. These stem cells can repair the damaged cells and renew the inherent cells to treat diseases. Stem cells transplant is safer and painless than kidney transplant. In addition, the cost of stem cells transplant is lower than that of kidney transplant.
Advantages of stem cell transplant
1) Obvious treatment effects. Due to the powerful ability of self-renewing and multiple differentiation, stem cells can treat diseases from the root causes, repairing the damaged cells and recovering the normal cells. Therefore, it can prevent the relapse of disease. stem cell transplant can better symptoms fundamentally.
2) No pain. Stem cells transplant is very different from kidney transplant and heart transplant. Stem cells are just injected by vein without any surgery.
3)No rejection reaction. Because stem cells are the original cells of the body, the surface antigen is not obvious and is not easy to be recognized by antibody. Therefore, after stem cell transplant, there is no rejection reaction as kidney transplant. Patients needn't take immune-suppression drugs.
4) Adequate source of stem cells. There are amounts of stem cells in the body. Stem cells are easy to separate, cultivate and purify. The daughter cells have the same features as mother cells.
5) The new cells differentiated by stem cells are the totally same as the normal cells of the body. These new cells still have physiological functions after many generation.
6) Homing ability( targeted position). The signals of the damaged cells or organs can stimulate stem cells to reach to the damaged organs. Stem cells take homing to the lesion and repair the damaged cells.
Side effects of stem cell transplant
Stem cell transplant is one kind of safe treatment method. This treatment method is non-toxic and has no side effects. Some patients may have fever. If the fever is lower than 39℃, it is suggested to take no measure. If it is higher than 39℃, it can dealt with little hormones. In addition, after receiving stem cell transplant, many patients feel good vigor and have high quality sleep at once. That is the clinical reaction at the beginning after stem cell transplant.
