Thursday, November 23, 2006
Stem Cell Research-Which has better results? Adult or Embroyonic
While many scientists and the mainstream media are hyping embryonic stem cell research (ESCR), the fact of the matter is that embryonic stem cell research is entirely unproductive at this point. There are no human trials using ESCs, and no treatments/cures coming from ESCR. The same cannot be said of adult stem cell research (ASCR). There are hundreds of human trials, and approximately 75 treatments/cures.
In the past few weeks several new breakthroughs using ASCs have been announced:
1. Australian researchers used patients' own stem cells to treat heart failure.
2. Researchers at Tulane University in New Orleans injected human ASCs into mice suffering from Type II Diabetes. The ASCs increased their insulin production and even repaired their damaged pancreas. The next step is human trials.
3. Other researchers have turned umbilical cord stem cells into lung cells.
4. Nature published research involving adult dog stem cells used to treat the dog version of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease that affects human children. After a couple of treatments these severely disabled dogs were able to run faster and even jump. The researchers plan to use this technology to begin treating human children in the next year or two.
5. Swiss scientists have grown heart valves using stem cells from amniotic fluid. The hope is to be able to use these to repair damaged hearts in newborn babies.
6. University of London researchers restored vision in mice.
None of this progress can be credited to ESCR. Scientists who are making breakthroughs are using ASCs. Dr. Robert MacLaren of the University of London, who restored vision in mice using differentiated stem cells, went so far as to say, "We do not want embryonic stem cells because they are too undifferentiated."[1] So much for all the hype about the promise of ESCR. The real promise lies in ASCs, and they've proven it. The score is about 75-0.
In the past few weeks several new breakthroughs using ASCs have been announced:
1. Australian researchers used patients' own stem cells to treat heart failure.
2. Researchers at Tulane University in New Orleans injected human ASCs into mice suffering from Type II Diabetes. The ASCs increased their insulin production and even repaired their damaged pancreas. The next step is human trials.
3. Other researchers have turned umbilical cord stem cells into lung cells.
4. Nature published research involving adult dog stem cells used to treat the dog version of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease that affects human children. After a couple of treatments these severely disabled dogs were able to run faster and even jump. The researchers plan to use this technology to begin treating human children in the next year or two.
5. Swiss scientists have grown heart valves using stem cells from amniotic fluid. The hope is to be able to use these to repair damaged hearts in newborn babies.
6. University of London researchers restored vision in mice.
None of this progress can be credited to ESCR. Scientists who are making breakthroughs are using ASCs. Dr. Robert MacLaren of the University of London, who restored vision in mice using differentiated stem cells, went so far as to say, "We do not want embryonic stem cells because they are too undifferentiated."[1] So much for all the hype about the promise of ESCR. The real promise lies in ASCs, and they've proven it. The score is about 75-0.
