BRAINCAKEDiseases that Could Be Treated
Stem cell therapy is most promising for diseases caused by the loss or damage of a particular cell type that the body cannot replace. If that cell type can be grown from stem cells and put back in the right place, normal function could be restored.
Examples being researched include:
• Type 1 diabetes: loss of insulin-secreting beta cells in the pancreas.
• Parkinson's disease: death of neurones in the brain that release the neurotransmitter dopamine, causing tremor and slow movement.
• Spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis: damage to neurones or to the myelin around them.
Sign in free to see the rest of this lesson, the R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps and the quiz
BrainCake is free. Make an account in seconds and pick up where this page stops.
Key terms in this lesson
- leukaemia
- A cancer of blood-forming tissue, usually the bone marrow, causing production of abnormal white blood cells.
- sickle cell disease
- An inherited blood disorder in which a mutant allele of the haemoglobin gene causes red blood cells to become rigid and sickle-shaped, impairing oxygen transport.
More in Gene Expression
- Gene Editing
- Potential Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy
- Pitfalls of Stem Cell Therapy
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
- Type I Diabetes
- Damaged Nerves
- Organs for Transplants
- Stem Cell Success
All 39 lessons in Gene Expression · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics