Monthly Archives: April 2005
Obstacles facing stem cell research
Reaching the point where society can reap the potential benefits of stem cells will take time. Researchers face a number of major challenges as they study stem cells.
Technical hurdles
Controlling stem cells isn’t easy. Both adult and embryonic stem cells present challenges. Though stem cells exist in adult tissue, they’re not present in great numbers, so they can be hard to find and to extract for growth.
Stem cells in use: Current treatments
Although they’re not a cure for any condition, stem cells can assist in the treatment of certain conditions. Despite the fact that stem cell research is still in its relative infancy, doctors have used stem cells in bone marrow transplants for more than 30 years. Bone marrow contains blood-forming stem cells. These cells continuously produce oxygen-carrying red blood cells, white blood cells that help fight infection and platelets that help stop bleeding. Bone marrow and stem cell transplants help treat certain cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, and some noncancerous conditions, such as aplastic anemia and some inherited immune disorders. Researchers are also investigating their use in some breast and ovarian cancers.
Types of stem cells: From embryos to adults
Although they’re not a cure for any condition, stem cells can assist in the treatment of certain conditions. Despite the fact that stem cell research is still in its relative infancy, doctors have used stem cells in bone marrow transplants for more than 30 years. Bone marrow contains blood-forming stem cells. These cells continuously produce oxygen-carrying red blood cells, white blood cells that help fight infection and platelets that help stop bleeding. Bone marrow and stem cell transplants help treat certain cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, and some noncancerous conditions, such as aplastic anemia and some inherited immune disorders. Researchers are also investigating their use in some breast and ovarian cancers.
Various Cell-Based Therapies of SCI
Not all stem cells are created equal. The potential for stem cells to differentiate into other specialized cells changes as an embryo develops. Stem cells can be:
Totipotent. In the early stages after fertilization — immediately after a sperm and egg join together and begin dividing — stem cells are considered totipotent. This means that these cells can form any type of cell, including those cells necessary for an embryo to develop into a human, such as placenta cells.
What are Schwann Cells?
Description of Schwann Cells provided by Inner Learning Online. Larger axons passing through Peripheral nerves commonly are enclosed in sheaths called “Schwann cells.” These are tightly wound around the axons, somewhat like insulation on a wire. The smallest axons also are enclosed in Schwann cells, but they are not wound around the axons. These membranes are composed largely of lipid-protein that has a higher proportion of lipid (fat) than other cell surface membranes. This lipid-protein is called Myelin, and it forms a “myelin sheath” on the outside of an Axon. Axons that have myelin sheaths are called “myelinated” (or medullated) nerve fibers, while those that lack these sheaths are “unmyelinated” nerve fibers.
Legal Forms & Issues
Spinal Cord Injury Legal Issues, Legal Issues, & A Few Law Firms
News & Information
InjuryBoard.com – Spinal Cord Injury Legal & Health News
InjuryBoard.com scours the Internet once a day for spinal cord injury legal and health related news stories from thousands of state, national and international publishers, including all of the major media outlets.
Social Security Disability Benefits
When to apply:
You should apply as soon as you become disabled. If you apply for Social Security, Disability benefits will not begin until the sixth full month of disability. The Social Security disability waiting period begins with the first full month after the date we decide your disability began. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits are paid for the first full month after the date you filed your claim, or, if later, the date you become eligible for SSI.
How to apply:
Call the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 or (800) 325-0778 for those who have hearing impairments or are deaf.
What lies ahead- Possible uses
Potential uses for stem cells could someday extend far beyond bone marrow and blood transplants. Stem cells may help to:
Replace diseased cells.
Form new tissues.
Develop new medications.
Learn about cancer and birth defects.
Replace diseased cells. If scientists can harness stem cells’ ability to become specialized into any type of cell, they may be able to use them to treat any number of diseases and conditions.
Coping skills
An accident that results in paralysis is a life-changing event, whether you’ve lost movement in your legs and lower body or all four extremities. Recovery from such an event takes time, but many people who are paralyzed move on to lead productive and fulfilling lives. The will to live in humans is amazingly strong, and the creativity with which many affected people lead their lives is great. It’s essential to stay motivated and get the support you need.
Treatment
Fifty years ago, a spinal cord injury was usually fatal. Today, there’s still no way to reverse damage to the spinal cord. But advances in recent years have improved the recovery of patients with a spinal cord injury and halved the amount of time survivors must spend in the hospital. Researchers are optimistically working on new treatments, including innovative prostheses and medications that may promote nerve cell Regeneration or improve the function of the nerves that remain after a spinal cord injury.
In the meantime, treatment focuses on preventing further injury and enabling people with a spinal cord injury to return to an active and productive life within the limits of their Disability. This requires urgent emergency attention and ongoing care.
