Humans start life as a single cell, from which all other cells are formed. That single cell has the ability to produce every cell type in the body. Eventually, however, cells begin to differentiate, meaning that they can only be one cell type and perform one set of functions. A differentiated eye cell, for instance, can never become a liver cell. This is problematic, because some cells don't regenerate, meaning that if large groups of cells die, an organ's function can be badly compromised. Stem cells, unlike most body cells, can become any one of a number of cell types, meaning that they may be able to regenerate missing cells in damaged organs, offering hope for treating a plethora of diseases.
Long-Lasting Cell Lines
Stem-cell research has incredible potential, but it's fraught with moral and ethical dilemmas and is the subject of much debate. One of the reasons scientists want to engage in stem-cell research is that stem-cell lines, unlike other cell lines, are long-lived, explains the National Institutes of Health. This means that a harvested cell line lasts indefinitely, allowing researchers to work on the cell line for a long time. The benefits of this are enormous. Harvesting cells, whether they're differentiated body cells or stem cells, and growing them into a tissue sample for study is time-intensive. Stem-cell lines, because they're so long-lived, allow researchers to produce any cells they need from the stem line.
Cures for Diseases
One of the most recognized benefits of stem-cell research is that it has the potential to produce cures for diseases. A report in the Miami Herald notes that research conducted at the University of Miami suggests that stem cells may help repair the hearts of those who have had heart attacks or undergone other heart damage. Researchers can grow stem cells into any cell type they like, meaning that they have the potential to replace any damaged or degenerated cells. Patients with spinal cord injuries who have lost the ability to walk, for instance, have significant damage to the spinal cord that prevents neural transmission from the brain to the legs. Nerves, under normal circumstances, don't regenerate, meaning the cut or damaged cord will never repair itself. Researchers suspect that stem cells injected into the damaged cord might help the cord grow new neural connections, re-establishing the link between brain and body.
Prevention of Aging
Stem cells can technically replace any missing, damaged or degenerated tissue, according to the International Society for Stem Cell Research. Many of the effects of aging are due simply to tissue damage over time. Arthritis, for instance, is the result of degeneration of cartilage in the joints. As such, stem-cell research has the potential to one day help researchers reverse the effects of aging by replacing damaged or degenerated tissue with fresh cells.
