This document discusses stem cells, including their types and uses. It describes embryonic stem cells, which come from a 4-5 day embryo and are pluripotent, as well as adult stem cells found in tissues. Stem cells can differentiate into specialized cells and have potential applications in regenerative medicine and treating diseases. However, embryonic stem cell research is controversial due to ethical concerns around destroying embryos. Alternative stem cell sources are being explored that do not require embryos.

1. Stem Cells
Medical Imaging Technologies and
Public Health Strategies to Prevent
Disease
By: Kevin
Nguyen

2. What is a Stem Cell?
Undifferentiated cell that can
differentiate into a specialized cell
 Two main types: Embryonic and
Adult Stem Cells
 Can be found in the skin, blood, neural
tissue, liver, etc.
 Adult Stem cell can divide infinitely
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3. Embryonic Stem Cells
Part of 4-5 day human embryo in
“blastocyst phase”
 Usually excess from IVF (in vitro
fertilization) clinic
 Eggs fertilized outside of womb in test
tube
 Only one placed back into woman


4. Embryonic Stem Cells Continued
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Fertilization begins as Zygote
Zygote rapidly divides
After 4-6 days before being placed back
into woman the mass is called a
“Blastocyst”
Blastocyst has inner mass and outer
mass
Outer mass becomes Placenta, lining in
the uterus, inner mass is stem cells
These cells are totipotent: cells with
total potential to become any cell in the

5. Stem Cell Cultures
Once extracted, placed into controlled
culture
 Environment prevents specializing but
still allows for cell division
 Easier to produce embryonic stems
cells than adult stem cells
 Still in progress
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6. Potency
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Different levels of potential to differentiate into
different cells:
Totipotent - able to differentiate into any cell
Pluripotent - able to differentiate into almost any cell
Multipotent - able to differentiate into closely related
cells
Oligopotent - able to differentiate into a few cells
Unipotent - only able to produce cells of their own
type but have self - renewal property similar to a stem
cell
Embryonic Stem cells are considered pluripotent

7. Organ and Tissue
Regeneration
Presently, organs are donated and
transplanted
 Stem cells could potentially grow a
particular organ or tissue in the future
 Ongoing research


8. Using Stem Cells in
Treatments
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Cardiovascular Disease Treatment
Brain Disease Treatment
Cell Deficiency Treatment
Blood Disease Treatment
Certain types of cancer
Auto - Immune Diseases
Ocular Treatment
Immunodeficiency
Wounds and Injuries
Metabolic Disorders
Liver Disease
Bladder Disease

9. How Stem Cells Impact
Science
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Can help with understanding human
development
Eventually differentiate because a particular
gene is turned on or off
Researchers using stem cells to understand
genes and mutations
Stems cells used to better understand cancer
and birth defects
Develop new drugs
Test on stem cells rather than human test
subjects
Could hold the key to treating severe
conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease

10. Stem Cell Controversy
It is believed that the stem cell is the
destruction of a human blastocyst
 Taking away life of fertilized egg
 Seen as similar to abortion
 Debate as to when life begins
 Compared to as murder
 Speculation that those who support
human embryonic stem cell research
seek human cloning (human cloning
research does exist)
 Ethical Dilemma in regards to whether
human cloning should be done


11. Alternative Methods of collecting
Stem Cells
Avoids controversy of taking the life of
embryo
 Possible to obtain stem cells from:
fatty tissue, bone marrow, or umbilical
cord after birth (taken from mother)
 No harm done


12. Chimeras
An organism that has both animal and
human cells or tissue
 Stem cell research often involves
testing human cells on animals
 Allows for researcher to gather data
and results without potentially harming
human test subjects
 Some people think that makes the
animals part human


13. Legal Issues
Illegal in certain countries such as:
Austria, France, Germany, Denmark, e
tc.
 Permitted in certain countries such as:
Finland, Greece, Netherlands, etc.
 Not illegal in the United States but it is
illegal to spend federal funding on
stem cell research as of 2001


14. Bibliography
Crosta, P. Medical News Today. 2013, July 19. What are Stem Cells? Retrieved
October 17, 2013 from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/stem_cell/
American Life League, Inc. (n.d.). Stem Cell Research. Retrieved October 17, 2013
from
http://www.all.org/nav/index/heading/OQ/cat/MTkw/?gclid=COGJurXNqLoCFclDMgod
bgUAbw
Prentice, D. 2004. “Adult Stem Cells” Appendix K in Monitoring Stem Cell Research:
A Report of the President’s Council on Bioethics. Retrieved October 17, 2013 from
http://www.stemcellresearch.org/facts/treatments.htm
Clarke, M. F., & Becker, M. W. (2006). Stem Cells: The Real Culprits in Cancer?
Scientific American. Retrieved October 17, 2013 from
http://web.ebscohost.com/scirc/detail?sid=135fe603-9894-4493-8936c36d5441c3fc%40sessionmgr13&vid=1&hid=26&bdata=JnNpdGU9c2NpcmMtbGl2Z
Q%3d%3d#db=sch&AN=21114245
Hochedlinger, K. Science Reference Center, EBSCO host. YOUR INNER HEALERS.
Scientific American. Retrieved October 17, 2013 from
http://web.ebscohost.com/scirc/detail?vid=6&sid=3bafa4f7-b5f0-4b15-b80eecd4fc5657e0%40sessionmgr113&hid=119&bdata=JnNpdGU9c2NpcmMtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#
db=sch&AN=50574995