http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/15/health/stem-cells-blind-see/index.html?eref=edition
In this article, Sandra Young writes about how the new research of stem cells has been used to treat macular degeneration, an eye disease that causes sight loss. Macular degeneration occurs from a tissue in the macula, a spot in the center of the retina and breaks down. Human embryonic stem cells can be used to build back this broken tissue. Success stories come from a seventy-five year old horse rancher whose vision improved 10 lines and can now ride horses again. These cells have been proven to improve three lines of vision on the eye chart as well as treat many diseases caused and tissue loss! Dr. Steven Schwartz is certain that blindness could potentially be gone in the next ten years. This study is the next step towards achieving that goal.
Hopefully this article interests you and helps you understand more about stem cells and what they can do. This is one of the the greatest and more recent scientific discoveries, and scientists are continuing to conduct tests with stem cells to grow tissue, create foods and help fight diseases.This gives us a different outlook on our current study of cells and their structure and functions in the body.
Why don't human embryonic stem cells specialize into body cells? Is there anything initially different between them and other cells?
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DeleteSo in the article, it explains what human embryonic stem cells are. They come from eggs that are fertilized and then used for research. They can develop into any type of cell in the body and have mainly been used to treat wounds and diseases. They do replicate the existing body cells and continue to function properly. Hopefully this answers your question!!
DeleteWhat are the statistics of the stem cells actually working to improve vision? How many times have the human embryonic stem cells improved vision vs. the number of times its was not so successful?
ReplyDeleteThis research had been conducted and tested on 18 people who were nearly blind, and the article says that the stem cells did not harm them in any way and actually improved their vision by at least 3 lines. Unfortunately, I do not have any information about this research not working, but scientists will be conducting another research with an even larger amount of people to see if the stem cells will work. Hopefully this answers your questions!
DeleteWhat are some of the cons of stem cell research?
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