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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 2001)
Wednesday, September 19, 2001 W7zaf are stem cells? They are the precursor cells from which all the Itissues in the body develop. They can continue Ireplicating indefinitely and have the potential to Idevelop into any specialized cell type, such as Iblood cells or neurons. Why are they important? ■ In addition to teaching scientists about how jcells grow and develop, most researchers feel that |stem cells offer great medical promise for future medical treatments. Stem cells could provide replacement cells to treat diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cancer. Ultimately, they might allow the growth of replacement organs. What types are there? Embryonic (or pluripotent) stem cells are formed when a human embryo reaches the blas tocyst phase a few days after fertilization. They are the most versatile and can develop into any type of tissue. Adult (or multipotent) stem cells are formed by the body to replace worn-out cells in many organs and tissues. These cells can only develop into a few predetermined tissue types. Adult stem cells are much more difficult to keep alive and growing in the laboratory, yet there have been several recent successes. Scientists differ in opinion on the relative useful ness of adult and embryonic stem cells. Stem cells collected from animals are also commonly used in research, but the medical use of such cells is limited by fear of zoonotic dis eases and immune rejection. Why all the debate? Many people are opposed to the destruction of a human embryo for any purpose, feeling that it violates the sanctity of human life. However, many others support the research, arguing that the potential medical benefits will help cure many diseases and that the discarded embryos being used would never have had the chance to form a living human. Building people... ^ FROM SCRATCH By Melissa Braddock THE BATTALION The science fiction image of organs growing in vats may not remain fiction much longer. One of the most promising areas of research to utilize stem cell tech nologies is tissue engineering, in which researchers work to “build” new tissues that can be used to reconstruct or replace damaged body parts. “Unlike a damaged car, a dam aged person can’t just be rebuilt using spare parts, but that could be changing soon,” said Dr. Antonios Mikos, associate professor of bio logical and chemical engineering at Rice University and tissue engi neering researcher. In 1986, Dr. Joseph Vacant! and Dr. Robert Danger developed the method now used in most tissue engineering projects. A biodegrad able polymer is shaped into a scaf fold in which stem cells are nur tured and grown. The whole structure of cells and scaffold is transplanted into a patient. As the cells replicate and form new tissue, the polymer breaks down, leaving only the new tissue or organ, indistinguishable from its surroundings. Today, doctors can treat victims of severe burns with lab-grown skin taken from a plastic bag. In other cases, patients have had carti lage grown and implanted into knees and other joints. Meanwhile, Mikos and his team are working to develop bone tissue. Unlike skin and cartilage, bone requires an extensive blood supply. something which is proving dif ficult to create in engineered tissue. Mikos is making progress, how ever, and he has now developed mature bone tissue in a matrix that was inserted into a sheep ribcage. Other researchers have already grown simple organs such as blad ders, and an international consor tium of scientists known as Living Implants from Engineering, or LIFE,, has vowed to grow human hearts within the next decade. The heart will probably be grown in four parts — valve, mus cle, blood vessels, and conduits — and then brought together. Researchers have already creat ed rudimentary blood vessels, heart valves and heart muscles. For now, the biggest limiting factor for tissue engineering may be money. The LIFE heart initia tive alone expected to need $5 billion in research funding. But even as a new field with limited funds, encouraging results are being reported. “I really feel that it’s not unrealistic to say that we will eventually be able to recreate any organ,” Mikos said. “This is the beginning of a field that will change the way medicine is done.” A&M pursues research with stem cells By Melissa Braddock THE BATTALION While the nation debates the pros and cons of human embryonic stem cell research, two Texas A&M scientists are trying to unlock stem cell secrets from a less controver sial angle — by focusing on cells taken from animals. Although many researchers feel human embryonic stem cells hold the most research promise, others think research can proceed using adult stem cells and animal research. Dr. Sumana Datta, professor in Texas A&M’s Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, is studying what triggers stem cells in the brain to divide and grow. In particular, she is using fruit flies to look at how certain biochem ical signals create patterns of stem cell division in the developing brain. “Stem cells are usually quiescent - kind of like they are taking a nap. We are trying to find out how the body tells the stem cells of the brain when they are needed,” Datta said. This issue is of particular inter est because cancer cells appear to resemble stem cells that are grow ing out of control, Datta said. Meanwhile, Dr. Jorge Piedrahita, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, focuses on stem cells from pig embryos and fetuses. Piedrahita’s lab has successful ly isolated the stem cells and is now working on steering them into the desired developmental pathway, a task that is often challenging for stem cell researchers. Ultimately, he would like to genetically modify animals such as pigs and cattle to create animals that can be used as human organ donors. Although stem cell research is still in the early stages, many scien tists feel that this work has the poten tial to give rise to innovative treat ments for a wide range of diseases. Scientists such Datta and Piedrahita hope one day to apply what is learned from animal stem cells to human treatments, or even use animal tissues directly to repair damaged organs in humans. Despite optimism about animal studies, animal studies can never replace human stem cell studies. “We can get a lot of good infor mation out of animal studies,” Datta said, “but we can never know what is true for humans and what is dif ferent in humans until we look at human data.” Business Career Fair Receptions FREE Want to get a head start on your employment future? Want a casual way to interact with recruiters? Come to the Business Career Fair Receptions. Receptions 7-9 p.m. • Monday, 19 th : • Tuesday, 20 th : • Wednesday, 21 st. Cafe’ Eccell George Bush Presidential Library Briarcrest Country Club Come by Wehner September 19-26 and sign-up at the tables. Business casual dress please. TEXAS A Sc M UNIVERSITY. BUSINESS STUDENT COUNCIL http://wehner.tamu.edu/bsc Visit the Division of Student Affairs Information Center Located in the lobby of the Student Recreation Center Open Sunday-Thursday from 3:00-9:00 p.m. Information is available on all departments within the Division of Student Affairs. Vice President's Office Student Health Services Memorial Student Center University Art Collections and Exhibitions Recreational Sports Special Event Facilities Student Life Student Financial Aid Multicultural Services Office of the Commandant Residence Life Student Life Studies Student Counseling Service Student Activities Stop by and visit with one of our friendly and informed student staff. For additional information, go to: http://studentaffairs.tamu.edu and/or http://howtty.tamu.edu
