Chapter 9, Problem 38A

Summary Introduction

To describe:

How stem cells might be used to help a patient with damaged spinal cord

Introduction:

Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can undergo division and develop into specialized cells under the right conditions and with proper signals. These cells can specialize into various tissues, organs and organ system. They can remain in an organism for many years while undergoing cell division. There are two basic types of stem cells; embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.

Answer to Problem 38A

Stem cells can be used to treat patients with spinal cord injury. Stem cells can be extracted from many parts of the body like bone marrow, skeletal muscle cells, cardiac cells etc and can be manipulated to generate nerve cells. These nerve cells are then transplanted to the site of injury in spinal cord where they replace the damaged cells.

Explanation of Solution

Stem cells have many uses. They have the potential to cure many genetic defects and medical conditions. Scientists have been able to cure paralysis by using stem cells from nasal cavity.

Scientists are able to grow stem cells in cell cultures and manipulate them to generate specific cell types. A person with damaged spinal cord may suffer from paralysis. Scientists can repair spinal cells with the stem cells to reverse paralysis. Scientists have been able to cure paralysis by using stem cells from nasal cavity. These stem cells become nerve cells when transplanted into the site of a spinal cord injury. The new nerve cells replace the damaged cells.