BRAINCAKEPotential Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell therapy has the potential to transform medicine because stem cells can divide indefinitely in culture and differentiate into specialised cells.
Treating untreatable conditions
Many diseases are caused by the loss of cells the body cannot replace, and at present have no cure, only treatments that manage symptoms. Replacing the lost cells could restore normal function and greatly improve quality of life.
Fewer problems with donors
If tissues or even whole organs could be grown from stem cells, patients would not have to wait for a matching donor, shortening transplant waiting lists. If the cells come from the patient's own body (or are made from them), they are not rejected, so lifelong immunosuppressant drugs, which raise the risk of infection, are not needed.
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Key terms in this lesson
- immunosuppressant drug
- A drug that reduces the activity of the immune system, used to prevent rejection of transplanted cells or organs.
More in Gene Expression
- Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression
- Stem Cell Therapy
- Therapeutic Cloning
- Gene Editing
- Pitfalls of Stem Cell Therapy
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
- Diseases that Could Be Treated
- Type I Diabetes
All 39 lessons in Gene Expression · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics