The Principles and Limitations of Stem Cell Therapy: Why Research on Incurable Diseases Is Gaining Attention

Stem cells replace and supplement the functions of damaged cells or tissues. It is known as a technology that can be utilized in new drug development and bio-organ research.

 

So stem cells are not just a simple research topic, It is often mentioned as a ‘key technology of future medicine’ that expands the possibility of treating incurable diseases.

 

However, just because it is highly likely It's not a technology that has already solved all problems.

Because stem cells are a field that simultaneously presents technical challenges and ethical controversies.

 

What's the difference between genetic scissors and stem cells?

Two future medical technologies with different purposes

• gene scissors technology

  → Technology to edit genetic information to prevent genetic diseases from being passed on to the next generation

  → Approaches for the 'health of future generations'

• stem cell technology

  → Technology to restore tissues and organs in my body that have already developed disease

  → Approach for ‘My current treatment’

Changing all the genes that make up my body right now Because it is technically very difficult,

From a disease treatment perspective, stem cell technology is discussed as an alternative in a different direction.

 

What are stem cells?

Why are they called 'stem' cells?

The name stem cell As many branches spread out from one stem, It comes from the characteristic of being able to differentiate into various cells.

• Can differentiate into various tissues such as liver, heart, and brain
• Source cells that replenish cells lost due to aging and damage
• Theoretically, it exists in all tissues and organs.

Because of this characteristic, If we can understand the differentiation mechanism The possibility of fundamentally regenerating the function of damaged organs is discussed.

Three types of stem cells (based on differentiation capacity)

① Unipotent stem cells (adult stem cells)

• Can only differentiate into specific tissues or cells
• Exist within adult organizations

② Pluripotent stem cells

• Originates from the inner cell mass of the early blastocyst stage of the embryo
• Can differentiate into approximately 230 types of cells that make up the human body
• Complete individual creation is impossible

③ Pluripotent stem cells

• Originates from the stage before the fertilized egg and blastocyst
• Ability to differentiate into all cells, including complete organisms

 

Where can stem cells be used?

1) Repair damaged tissue/organ functions

• Stem cells extracted from patients Re-injection after differentiation and proliferation in a specific environment

• A method of replacing and supplementing the function of damaged cells

2) New drug development and bio-organ research

• Before application to the human body, Possibility of verifying drug efficacy and toxicity by differentiating into specific cells

• At the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KIST), A case study of a stem cell-based 3D liver tissue model has been reported.

also,

• Bio-organs made from the patient's own stem cells The possibility of a relatively low immune rejection response is discussed.

 

Why is commercialization still difficult?

Technical limitations

• In a laboratory environment Difficulty in maintaining stem cell properties

• Difficult to precisely control differentiation into desired tissues

• If the function is not performed properly even after injection after differentiation

ethical issues

• Embryonic stem cells can be obtained by dismantling blastocysts.

• Whether to view the blastocyst as a life or as a cell lack of social consensus

• This is a question with no right answer, so ongoing discussion is necessary.

 

Research to Solve a Challenge: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Approaches to revert already differentiated cells

• By introducing specific genes into adult skin cells, etc. Re-assigning stem cell properties

• 2007 research success

• With this research, Professor Shinya Yamanaka 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

This method It is discussed as an alternative that could reduce the ethical burden associated with embryonic stem cells.

 

In summary

Stem cell technology In the treatment of incurable diseases, development of new drugs, and bio-organ research, etc. It is attracting attention as a new possibility in medicine.

 

But at the same time

• Technical difficulty

• ethical debate

  We are facing a realistic challenge together.

Stem cells are Not a “pre-existing cure”, It is an area of ​​research that requires an understanding of both possibilities and limitations.

As always with science and technology, Through discussion and verification, we are gradually getting closer to reality.