Chronic degenerative diseases are some of the most debilitating medical conditions. While we’re still struggling to understand the disease itself, we’re also a few steps away from finding a long-lasting cure that can prevent the spread of the condition and cure the existing symptoms. An interesting treatment that has emerged in recent years, not only focusing on alleviating symptoms but curing them altogether, is stem cell therapy, as it addresses the root cause of the diseases, preventing further degeneration. Stem cell treatments have become a promising frontier in the fight against conditions that have long caused disturbance among the medical community and cracked a few heads. In the text below, we’ll talk about the role of stem cell therapy and its purpose in treating chronic degenerative diseases.
What are Stem Cells?
Each cell in our body has an assigned purpose: you have regenerative cells that are trying to heal an open wound, immune cells fighting off different pathogens and viruses entering the body, and then there are the cells of your organs and skin, comprising the whole body. Stem cells are naturally occurring cells in the body without an assigned purpose and often have the potential to be modified and used for the specific purpose of healing and regeneration with the help of DNA coding and the many achievements we’ve reached so far in the field of genetics. In other words, stem cells are whatever you need them to be, and as they’re a naturally present part of your body, the chances of your immune system rejecting them are low, almost non-existent. Stem cell therapy has been proved especially successful while trying arthritis in the joints and in regenerative procedures where it’s required to heal scar tissue. And so in the case of osteoarthritis, stem cells can differentiate into cartilage-producing cells, potentially restoring joint function. That’s one of the many examples of how they help in the fight against these conditions.
Immune Function
The role of stem cells in this context is unique; they play a role in modulating the immune system or better said, the immune response, which is often dysregulated in chronic degenerative diseases. In this race to find the best cure, a forerunner is embryonic stem cells and their unparalleled ability to differentiate into diverse cell types, making them more than perfect for use in the fight against chronic diseases. You can always educate on the topic by reading an article about embryonic stem cells available on official medical websites that are proven and certified. It’s simple: this dual role of stem cells—promoting repair while suppressing harmful immune activity—is especially effective in the process of healing autoimmune diseases. Tricking the immune system into fighting specific diseases has long been an obsession of the medical community and has proven quite successful in the fight against aggressive diseases and conditions such as cancer, hence immunotherapy and now with stem cells, it’s a revolutionary step we’ve taken towards a better future.
Personalized Treatments
Another advantage is the use of stem cells for personalized treatments depending on the body’s response to the therapy and making sure the whole procedure is not being rejected by the body itself. With new technology available, it is possible to generate patient-specific stem cells from their own tissues, making it a lot easier and less risky than donor transplants.
Future Directions
Despite all the promises, stem cell therapy still has to face many challenges. There are ethical concerns, especially in the case of using embryonic stem cells, and then again the risk of tumor formation from undifferentiated stem cells poses a significant safety concern. But with time we’re confident in the positive outcome of the research and future possibilities.
We’re approaching a brave new world, promising, intriguing, and exciting. With so many new advances in terms of technology, only time can tell how far we can go.
