I must admit that, the more I read about what stem cells — especially adult (or “tis-sue”) stem cells that are not under the current res-trictions on the use of embryonic stem cells — the more I am incredibly impressed at the growing successful results of the use of such stem cells, especially in trials where they have been so successful in research and testing results literally around the world.
I’d like to mention some of those successes in restoring and, in some cases, actually “curing” many of those dysfunctions, especially in cases where the difficulty was caused by a breakdown of functions controlled by the central nervous system.
It is becoming much clearer to me with each page, article, paper, report and book that I have read while researching the promise of using adult stem cells to actually restore functions in the central nervous system that previously had been judged or called “permanent,” with highly charged anticipation, especially as a paraplegic caused by a spinal cord injury.
I’m talking about SCI that has caused paraplegia and quadriplegia; injuries to the brain that have caused traumatic brain injuries; other dysfunctions, such as cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s disease; heart tissue regeneration; corneal reconstruction; and even correction of many autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes, lupus, Crohn’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
And these are really the type of bodily dysfunctions that are more readily known, and doesn’t take into consideration a host of other physical problems, many of which can also be corrected or “cured” with the use of adult stem cells. As mentioned earlier, adult (tissue) stem cells possess the characteristic of plasticity, the ability to specialize and develop into other tissues of the body.
Various medical treatises have, simplistically, described that plasticity as the ability for that adult stem cell to be “coaxed” to become heart tissue, neural matter, skin cells and a host of other tissues.
One of the most important benefits of the use of adult (tissue) stem cells in a given individual is the fact that those stem cells used are only the cells from that person. Accordingly, this means that any danger of transplant rejection failure is dramatically reduced because medical science is using the stem cells of that person, not the cells of someone else.
As such, there would be no need for that person to take anti-rejection drugs, either. This is a significant plus since many anti-rejection drugs do have side effects — from minor to major — in different people.
In particular, adult stem cells can be used to achieve almost spectacular recovery of paraplegics and quadriplegics in people that have been the victims of SCI. SCI is also one of the most severe forms of debilitation known to humanity. In recent years, medical science and researchers have seen the emergence of successful adult (tissue) stem cell treatment for those who have suffered from heart attacks and heart failure.
The use of adult stem cell therapy has also shown rapid advancement in the field of ophthalmology. For example, the use of limbal stem cell transplantation offers real hope to those who are suffering from corneal degeneration, blindness and other ocular diseases. Adult (tissue) stem cells have also shown significant results in the treatment of various autoimmune disorders.
We’ll finish our series on the incredible uses of adult stem cells to actually provide recovery or regeneration of those physical dysfunctions previously known as “permanent.”
Stay tuned.
