Therapeutic Potential of Stem Cells in Spinal Cord Injuries

The assignment discusses the potential applications of stem cells in treating spinal cord injuries and fractures due to accidents. The content includes a brief background on stem cell treatments, a literature search on the topic, the design and conduct of experiments for stem cell transplantation, discussion on the expected outcomes, conclusions on the emerging concept of stem cell-based therapies, and references cited.

Contents
1. Background..............................................................................................................................................2
2.0 Literature search...................................................................................................................................2
3.0 Design and conduct of experiments......................................................................................................3
4.0. Discussion.............................................................................................................................................3
5.0. Conclusions………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
References...................................................................................................................................................4
1

Biology and Technology in the Real World
1.0 Background
Stem cell treatments have been expected to bring significant advantage to patients enduring an
extensive variety of sicknesses and wounds. It was expected that the advantages of bone marrow
transplants for patients requiring recreation of their hematopoietic and safe frameworks would
apply to stem cell transplants of other cell sorts, and good faith has been high for the use of
pluripotent undifferentiated cell sorts (embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells)
for an assortment of uses. Undeveloped cells multiply, move, and separate to frame living beings
amid embryogenesis. During adulthood, undifferentiated cells are available inside tissues/organs
including the focal sensory system, where they may separate into neurons (Tewarie et al., 2009).
The stem cells are derived from a several sources in the body including embryo (early phases of
advancement); fetus; umbilical line; placenta and grown-up undeveloped cells (Morrison et al.,
1995). Since the identification and portrayal of stem cells is in primitive stage, a lot of interest
has been given to their potential for treatment of spinal cord damage, traumatic brain harm, and
degenerative cerebrum infections (Polak and Bishop, 2006).
2.0 Literature search
Stem cells have potential to develop to either remain a stem cell or become another type of cell
with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. The
unspecialized cells are capable of renewing themselves via cell division, sometimes after long
periods of inactivity. In addition, the cells can be induced to become tissue or organ-specific
cells with special functions. The cells can be distinguished in to embryonic stem cells and non-
embryonic "somatic" or "adult" stem cells. Rippon et al., (2006) developed multistep
differentiation strategy to develop distal lung epithelial progenitors from murine embryonic stem
cells. The model serves as an in vitro model for the study of lung epithelial differentiation.
Lescaudron et al., (2012) opined that the use of stem cells is valuable tool for the mitigation of
neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's or Huntington’s diseases based on the outcome
despite of limitations (ethical concerns such as isolation of fetal brain tissue). Vawda et al.,
(2012) reported the use of different sources and types of cells (embryonic stem cells, neural
progenitor cells, bone marrow mesenchymal cells and non-stem cells) for spinal cord injuries.
2

However, the potential of the stem cells for antiinflammatory, anti-gliotic and pro-neuronogenic
purposes are reported. From the evidences, it can be understood that the stem cells have a
potential for therapeutic applications in diverse fields and opened up many gateways for the
research in therapeutics. No evidences found for the application of stem cells in the spinal cord
injuries/fracture due to accidents. Therefore the hypothesis, ‘application of stem cells in spinal
injuries’ by transplantation could repair the injured part of the spinal cord. Accordingly, it was
aimed to investigate the utility of stem cells for spinal cord injuries.
3.0 Design and conduct of experiments
Mathematical technique such as design of experiments will be performed to set the optimal
conditions for the multiplication of stem cells for instance pluripotent stem cells. The stem cells
grown under optimal conditions will be transplanted via surgical procedures to the person who
had injured due to car accident. The injured person will be kept in intensive care and periodic
observations will be made to know the progress of recovery. The investigation will be performed
with the approval of ethical committee.
4.0. Discussion
The transplantation of stem cells are expected to bring a repair of the injured spinal cord by
either supplanting the nerve cells that have passed on as a consequence of the accident; creating
new supporting cells that will re-frame the protecting nerve sheath (myelin) and go about as an
extension over the harm to fortify re-development of harmed axons; securing the phones at the
harm site from further harm by discharging defensive substances, for example, development
variables, and splashing up poisons, for example, free radicals, when brought into the spinal
string soon after damage. The functions of the body and its organs especially limbs will be
evaluated periodically to understand the efficacy of stem cells. These are expected to be
improved as soon as the damaged part is corrected.
5.0. Conclusions
The strategies of treatment using stem cells are an emerging concept in medical science. At this
time, stem cell–based therapies are at an early stage, and the associated risks are still unclear.
When a patient has a disabling or life-threatening disease for instance in the current case, an
attempt can be made to treat the spinal injury. The ethical and social barriers need to be
considered while using the stem cells for the treatment
3

References
Lescaudron, L., Naveilhan, P & Neveu, I (2012). The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine
for Parkinson's and Huntington's Diseases. Curr Med Chem. 19(35), 6018-35.
Morrison, S.J., Uchida, N & Weissman, I.L (1995). The biology of hematopoietic stem cells.
Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 11, 35-71
Polak, J.M & Bishop, A.E (2006) Stem cells and tissue engineering: past, present, and future.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1068, 352–366
Rippon, H.J., Polak, J.M., Qin, M & Bishop, A.E (2006) Derivation of distal lung epithelial
progenitors from murine embryonic stem cells using a novel three-step differentiation
protocol. Stem Cells. 24(5), 1389-98.
Tewarie, R. S. N., Hurtado, A., Bartels, R. H., Grotenhuis, A., & Oudega, M. (2009). Stem cell
based therapies for spinal cord injury. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 32(2), 105–
114.
Vawda, R., Wilcox, J., & Fehlings, M. (2012). Current stem cell treatments for spinal cord
injury. Indian Journal of Orthopaedics, 46(1), 10–18
4