Why are stem cells at the heart of regenerative medicine?

Mondo Health Updated on 2024-02-03

Stem cells are a kind of underdifferentiated and immature cells, which have the potential function of regenerating various tissues and organs, and are called "universal cells" by the medical community, attracting a large number of experts and scholars.

Stem cells are essential for the self-repair and regeneration of human tissues. When we are injured or sick, the body will send an emergency signal, and the stem cells will automatically gather to the damaged part, carry out ** and differentiation, regenerate new cells to replace the dead cells, and regulate the tissue microenvironment to restore the function of our body tissues.

The reason why stem cells are the foundation and core of regenerative medicine is that stem cells are the origin cells of the human body, which have the ability to self-proliferate and differentiate in different directions, and can proliferate and differentiate into the required tissues and organs.

Stem cells come from? What are the features?

Stem cell **

Stem cells are a class of cells that have not yet differentiated and can be repaired for damage to specific tissues and organs. Mesenchymal stem cells are a kind of adult stem cells, which can be isolated from almost all tissues, such as umbilical cord, placenta, fat, bone marrow, baby teeth, menstrual blood, etc., and can be cultured and expanded in vitro, so it can be regarded as a class of general-purpose stem cells.

*Stem cells in perinatal tissues such as umbilical cord, placenta, and amniotic membranes have the advantages of young cells, strong proliferation ability, and wide differentiation potential, and can be applied to the repair and regeneration of different tissues and organs of the human body. At present, the stem cells of the umbilical cord have been strongly recommended by regenerative medicine experts at home and abroad, and have been applied in hundreds of clinical studies to solve the damage and difficult diseases of different tissues and organs such as bones, myocardium, lungs, liver, kidneys, cornea, endometrium, ovaries, breasts, etc.

Characteristics of stem cells

Stem cells are the raw materials of the human body, and they are able to differentiate into cells of all types and functions in the human body. In the human body or under appropriate laboratory conditions, stem cells can multiply into more daughter cells, which either become new stem cells (self-renewal) or are induced to become specialized cells with specific functions, such as blood cells, brain cells, heart muscle, or bones.

Why are scientists so interested in stem cells?

Stem cells are a kind of underdifferentiated and immature cells, which have the potential and function to regenerate various tissues and organs, and are called "universal cells" by the medical community, attracting a large number of experts and scholars. Scientists and doctors hope to use stem cells to achieve the following:

Increase understanding of the mechanisms of disease pathogenesis.

By observing the differentiation of stem cells in bone marrow, myocardium, nerves, and other organs and tissues, it is expected to better understand the occurrence and progression of diseases and diseases.

Regenerate healthy cells to replace diseased cells

Stem cells can be induced to differentiate into specific cells that are used to regenerate and repair diseased or damaged tissues. There are many patient groups that are expected to benefit from stem cells**, including spinal cord injury, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, COPD, cirrhosis, pulmonary fibrosis, intrauterine adhesions, premature ovarian failure, erectile dysfunction, dermatitis, rhinitis, hair loss, scarring, colon ulcers, heart disease, stroke, burns, cancer, and osteoarthritis. In addition, stem cells have the potential to be cultivated into new tissues and organs, which can be used in the fields of organ transplantation and regenerative medicine.

Why are stem cells at the heart of regenerative medicine?

The human body is made up of 60-80 trillion cells, with more than 250 cell types. For example, muscle is the aggregation of muscle cells, and nerves are made up of nerve cells, each type of cell has different roles and functions, but all are superior to stem cells. Stem cells are the source of the cells that make up our body.

Although there are many kinds of cells in different tissues and organs, there are still some cells that are not fully differentiated and immature, and still have the potential function of regenerating various tissues and organs and the human body, that is, stem cells.

Stem cells are essential for the body's repair and tissue regeneration. When we are injured or sick, the body sends out an emergency signal of SOS, and the stem cells will gather in the corresponding injured parts, and through continuous differentiation, new functional cells will be regenerated to replace the dead cells and restore the function of the tissue.

However, the number and ability of stem cells in our body are limited after all, and with the increase of age, the number of stem cells in various tissues and organs of the human body gradually decreases, and the ability to proliferate and differentiate is also decreasing, and the damaged tissues and organs cannot be repaired and regenerated in time, which directly leads to the occurrence of aging and disease.

At present, the main task of regenerative medicine is to realize the regeneration and repair of various tissues and organs through stem cells, and realize the functional reconstruction of tissues and organs. To repair, replace and enhance damaged, diseased or defective tissues and organs in the human body by activating endogenous stem cells or implanting exogenous stem cells, stem cell-derived cells, functional tissues and organs.

What are stem cells**?

Stem cells** are the use of stem cells to promote the repair of diseased, dysfunctional, or damaged tissues. With the rapid development of biomedical technology, scientists are able to differentiate cultured stem cells into specific types of cells, such as cardiomyocytes, blood cells, or nerve cells, in the laboratory. These cells help to repair the corresponding defective tissue or organ.

In addition, mesenchymal stem cells existing in almost all tissues of the human body, in addition to having the potential for self-renewal and differentiation, also have unique immunomodulatory functions, and can migrate to the damaged tissue site, which has a very broad clinical application prospect in a variety of diseases. At present, among all the stem cells under development, mesenchymal stem cells** are the mainstream.

Mesenchymal stem cells are the most researched and fastest-growing stem cell types at home and abroad in recent years, which can differentiate into a variety of tissue cells such as bone, cartilage, epithelium, fat, nerve, muscle, etc., and has been used in the study of a variety of diseases.

At present, studies have found that stem cells can be transplanted to the damaged parts of the human body through intravenous injection, arterial injection, intrathecal injection, joint cavity injection, etc., and participate in the repair of damaged tissues through targeted homing, which plays an important role in restoring the functions of the eight major systems of the human body.

The aging of the human body is holistic, and different tissues and organs will age with age. By repairing different tissues and organs of the human body, stem cells can effectively promote the body's metabolism and restore system functions, thereby achieving the purpose of delaying aging. In addition, it has been widely experienced and recognized for its effects on improving sleep, repairing liver function, beautifying skin, and promoting digestion. With the help of stem cells, "aging without aging" will no longer be a dream.

Stem cells

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