A new dissertation says that the study of both the embryonic and adult stem cells benefits the medical science but banning either one of them can have a negative impact on the other. The scientists from Stanford University, Michigan University and Mayo clinic Rochester in Minnesota did a research few weeks ago. They studied whether the large number of studies done on certain adult cells types can change the overall research course. About two thousand research papers were investigated regarding uses of adult stem cells and it was found that adult cells do not replace the embryonic stem cells during the research. They analyzed that disruption in finding of any of the two would have adverse affect on the overall stem cell investigation.

As per the National Science Foundation (NSF), Science and Innovation policy Program Director, Julia Lane, the study is significant as it examines the co-authorship network of stem cell articles and then uses them for understanding the connection between both the complimentary research areas. This sounds interesting as the technique it uses is the new analytical one that enhances the knowledge regarding the policy implementation in an area affecting the scientific research in another field. The research was however published in the Journal Cell on the 9^th June 2011.

A sociologist in Michigan University, Jason Owen Smith says that the benefits of stem cells in using both types of cells in case of the comparative study are higher. He discovered that the knowledge behind the adult cells can be reprogrammed that are known as human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Even after their easy availability, they are still in the world of infancy. This is why the hiPSCs are not capable for an easy solution to the ethical questions associated with the embryonic stem cells research. These pluripotent cells are those that can differentiate into any tissue. Thus the human embryonic stem cells or simply embryonic stem cells are also known as pluripotent. 

The research papers examined were of the years 1998 to 2010. It was found that the ratio of papers showing uses of adult and embryonic stem cells both was growing rapidly rather than those using adult cells simply. In 2008 where only 5.1 percent papers reported the use of adult cells and three among them used both. While in the year of 2010 about 28 percent did study on both cell technologies and 62.1 combined the use of both cell lines. This study further demonstrates that the two types of cells have become so interconnected that denial of funding of anyone of them would affect the stem cell research of the other.

If the research on stem cells taken from the human embryo is stopped, then they would have a negative impact on the study of adult stem cells. Further, adding to this the bioethicist, Christopher Scott of University of Stanford said that it might happen that it would never be possible to select one out of embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent as no one knows which of the cell type is perfect for such stem cell treatments.  The whole idea is to understand the impact of decisions of the policy on science as the study proves that both cells are complementary.

 The regenerative treatment that is stem cell transplant has brought a new hope into the lives of many patients. According to the article published in the Journal Nature – the stem cell clinics have been providing unapproved and insecure treatments to the patients dying out there. They also charge a huge sum that is about thousands of dollars for being injected with the blend of mysterious cells in order to cure certain disease. It is in fact the best money wastage that can also bring worst results on the health of the patient. There is also significant contribution by savvy marketers and the internet that promote these insecure treatments over web.

It increases the risk on the damage of authenticity of the field. There are many dangers provided by these clinics. During the month of May, the largest stem cell clinic in the Europe was shut down after it provided treatment that lead to the death of a child. There is great frustration among the stem cell researchers with the rapid proliferation of such types of clinics and also the tax regulations by FDA. Last year, International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) launched new website that was ‘A Closer Look at Stem Cell Treatments. The site was to let tell about the facts and analysis of the clinical treatments.

According to the MD director of Stanford institute cell biology of stem cells and regenerative medicine, Irvin Weissman- ‘a large number of patients are not being treated in the proper way.’ In some cases the treatments which are effective to some extent disqualify the patients from receiving them while in others the unsecured healings are definitely affecting the public as well private support of stem cell therapy. A patient will not make a wise decision when one is not provided the reliable and true information. It is major ethical problem. It is yet another fact that no matter how informed a patient is, no one can stop a person choosing a treatment or to undergo unapproved cure.

Weissman says that the field of stem cells is recent one. Scientists are researching on which type of stem cells can regenerate what type of organs. The primary goal however always remains no harm. This is the reason that the test is firstly done on animals and then proved for clinical trial in human beings. At every step, the productivity of science is verified. The attempt to commercialize the treatments that are not approved raises the risk to those receiving them. The researchers are still looking for a way to educate the patients regarding the risks associated with the stem cell treatments which are not approved.

It is also an issue of great concern that the individuals seek information from the insecure and fake sources. These also involve disputed societies having connection to the medicine industry. The clinics create confusion. The stem cell clinics do not give proof that the treatment really works. Instead they say that it should work. Due to the lack of solid facts it gets very difficult to argue on this issue. So, it is an advice to do good research as it is a matter of your health.

There has been launched a new website to educate people about the stem cells and their research. It just requires few clicks and the new website opens which is a school for the public providing knowledge of stem cell technology. About fifty years ago two researchers from Toronto confirmed for the very first time that stem cells really exist that led to a major change in the medicine history. The new site Stem cell city has been created by McEwen Regenerative Medicine Centre. It will inform people about the tiny tissue generating powerhouses in the body. It will teach how these powerhouses can defeat the chronic disease in the body such as lung and heart disease.

The site has been launched after understanding the need of informing people about this issue. It has been observed that people are still unaware about what the stem cells are and their different types as quoted by the director of this centre of McEwen Dr. Gordon Keller.  The site can be called as a virtual tour of the lab of the centers which allows the visitors to search for the topics of personal interest and even ask queries from the researchers. They will be also able to get updates related to the stem cell research done in disease of their interest. Stem cells are known as the unspecialized cells which have the capacity to renew into unlimited number and develop into some wide variety of specialized cells such as heart, liver, muscle, brain and pancreatic cells.

The government of McGuinty granted $27 million for the funding of the stem cells study that later on collaborated with the California governor Arnold. McGuinty said that the site for deriving embryonic cells has unleashed the inner scientist inside him that has given the inspiration to help for this noble cause. It is hoped that one day even the people having spinal injuries would be treated successfully. Embryonic stem cells are known as the most powerful. The scientists are also looking for other sources to extract stem cells as the embryonic research still remains a concern. California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Chairman Robert Klein has already said that there is being conducting a large deal of research to discover some others stem cell therapy against bulk of diseases affecting the human.

One among them is for macular degeneration, a disease under which people above 65 start suffering from blindness. The motive of McEwen centre is to explain to the layman what actually happens in a Petri-dish under lab conditions. However, the main concern of people always remains the future. The stem cells that generate other body cells can be allowed to undergo testing to determine if it brings any adverse affects. The stem cells taken from the patient give rise to the liver, heart, lung and blood cells matching them. This has given rise to a new hope among scientists that one day they would be growing entire kidney, liver and heart in the lab. The launch of the website concurs to the annual meeting for research on cells carried out by Stem Cells International Society. The four day conference that held in Toronto brought about 4000 participants from the entire world.

Genome institute of Singapore (GIS) has collaborated with Cancer institute of Singapore (CSI) for a research. GIS is the institute of Science, Technology and Research. The GIS scientists studied how the body controls fate of stem cells by using a single communication system. This study was published in the journal named PLoS Genetics on 23rd of June 2011. The news was -a study opens new door for development of new techniques in the field of stem cell technology. Another interesting aspect of this study is the therapy will show results with very few side effects. This study was done by Dr Kian Leong Lee and his team of scientists.

Dr. Lee did this research on the signaling system that is how a single signaling system which is known as nodal or Activin pathway gives the signal to stem cells. He with his fellow scientists studied how on receiving these signals, stem cells decide which type of cells they should become. This nodal pathway in actual is capable to specify the wide range of cell types. In other words, it is a challenge to the perception of many individuals that chemical signal system is specific and can control limited outcome. The research has provided itself to be a leading step in the field of stem cell therapy and medical history.

The study will benefit the scientists in understanding how they can control the future of stem cells by modifying the cell chemical environment. This technique of controlling the differentiation of stem cells will avoid the modification of genetic make –up of a cell that might make the cell cancerous. Dr. Lee said that many of the scientists have this belief that protein and the chemical signaling system possess some specific functions. However, this study demonstrates that one signal can be modified giving different instructions. 

The benefits of stem cells study would be that it will further pave the way for higher research and studies in the generation of cells and tissue repairing. It can be used in the personalized medicine in which stem cells taken from a single patient are manipulated for making other cell types that match genetically to the donor. Urban Lendahl is the vice-chairman and also professor of genetics at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden at the department of Cell and Molecular Biology. He has said that, “this study by Dr. Lee has truly given advanced findings that have added much to our knowledge regarding this field”.

It has made clear how the single signaling system can control the maintenance of stem cells and differentiation. The increase or decrease in the nodal signaling leads to exit of the state of stem cells in embryonic cells. Moreover, another finding that the pSmad2 can regulate the dissimilar gene sets at certain different levels of activin signaling gives new insight to the molecular regulation of the state of stem cells. It is taken to be a powerful and useful research that will be used to understand something more about the functioning of stem cells. Scientists are very pleased with this finding as now they own the fate of stem cells and can turn it into a useful direction.  

It is a known fact that embryonic stem cells have raised a political controversy for about last two decades. This controversy has been regarding the use of embryonic stem cells. Many politicians claim that the scientists kill human embryo for the sake of their stem cell treatment. However, scientists have said that those embryos are the fertilized eggs donated by couples that have to be discarded otherwise. Little contribution has been made by the researchers of University of Nevada to resolve this dispute. A new dissertation has been done in this field named as Attitude of America toward human embryonic cell research.

The stem cell news was published in the journal of Natural biotechnology. The sample of the study was US citizens and sample unit was 2295 respondents. Some of the crucial findings of the study were as follows –

ü  The therapeutic cloning is banned in USA. It implies the nuclear transfer of the genes of the patients. After the study it was found that about two-third of the people were there who were in favor of this cloning and only one in six did not give approval. They were found in favor of using stem cells for the treatment of cancer and heart disease.

ü  Another finding revealed that there were about two-third of the respondents that approved of the new method. It involved the use of modified adult cells as an alternative for the embryonic cells if found effective to cure heart attacks or cancer. Fifteen percent and less than that did not find this beneficial.

ü  About 43 to 47 percent approved for cloning and use of stem cells extracted from embryos and adult tissue to heal allergies. There were just one in four who said no to this but about 30 percent of the people had mixed answers. This shows that mostly people find such methods useful for less severe conditions.

ü  The respondents were not in favor of reproductive cloning of humans, even not for the child who had died as the disapproval percentage was about seventy percent.

ü  Moreover, people also did not find the stem cell research useful for the cosmetic purposes as half of them refused while quarter of them showed approval.

The most interesting part of the research as observed by a sociologist named Evans is that the respondents preferred their own opinion rather than concerning the views of church and several other authorities.

ü  According to Evans, majority of the people, approximately two third of them prefer following own opinion to decide whether such treatments are right or not. The ratio of people who gave more importance to the Church rather than themselves was just 4 percent. Those who were committed Catholics found deferring to the church on such matters.

ü  The outcome of the study was- in spite of the strong opposition by the Catholic Church there were a large number of supporters in favor of use of stem cells. Even among those who were in the disapproving group, churchgoing women were found to be more in favor rather than in opposition.

However, it was not a reliable approach to know public opinion regarding this matter. In its place, a systemic survey research could have helped more.