After reading “ Repairing the Nervous System with Stem Cells ” from the Reading
ID: 152144 • Letter: A
Question
After reading “ Repairing the Nervous System with Stem Cells ” from the Reading Assignment section, respond to the following in 200-300 words”:
a. Define stem cells, and explain how they are being used experimentally to treat nervous system injuries and disorders. b. Take a stand on the use of stem cells in research, and defend your position based on science, ethics, and personal views. Make sure to present your stance in a well-articulated and respectful manner using researched (and cited) evidence.
Explanation / Answer
a. An undifferentiated cell of a multicellular organism which is capable of giving rise to indefinitely more cells of the same type, and from which certain other kinds of cell arise by differentiation. Experimental therapies for chronic diseases of the nervous system, such as Alzheimer's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, or Huntington's disease, and for acute injuries, such as spinal cord and brain trauma or stroke, are being currently developed and tested.
The nervous system is a complex organ made up of nerve cells (also called neurons) and glial cells, which surround and support neurons. The loss of any of these cell types may have catastrophic results on brain function. Reports dating back as early as the 1960s pointed towards the possibility that new nerve cells are formed in adult mammalian brains. Diseases of the nervous system, including congenital disorders, cancers, and degenerative diseases, affect millions of people of all ages. Congenital disorders occur when the brain or spinal cord does not form correctly during development. Cancers of the nervous system result from the uncontrolled spread of aberrant cells. Degenerative diseases occur when the nervous system loses functioning of nerve cells. Most of the advances in stem cell research have been directed at treating degenerative diseases. While many treatments aim to limit the damage of these diseases, in some cases scientists believe that damage can be reversed by replacing lost cells with new ones derived from cells that can mature into nerve cells, called neural stem cells. Research that uses stem cells to treat nervous system disorders remains an area of great promise and challenge to demonstrate that cell-replacement therapy can restore lost function.