The potential for stem cell research to revolutionize health care, combined with concerns over ethical issues surrounding the harvesting of stem cells, have garnered much attention from researchers, lobbyists and the media. Cord blood banking...
White blood cells are part of your immune system and are found in your blood and tissue. Your body has several different types of white blood cells that fight infections by producing antibodies and cytokines, killing infected cells and removing...
Hemoglobin is a special protein found in red blood cells. It has a structure that supports several functions, including carrying and delivering oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. The metabolism of hemoglobin includes its construction in the...
Phagocytosis is an immune system defense function. An immune cell called a phagocyte ingests and kills invading organisms. Phagocytes also ingest cellular debris caused by tissue injury and dead cells. Three types of white blood cells can act as...
Most cells in the human body are highly specialized---meaning they perform one particular function---but cannot divide to replace themselves when they die due to normal aging or injury. Instead, a specific population of cells, stem cells, is the...
Iron is an essential element that is necessary for good health. Most of the iron in your body is found in your red blood cells. Deficiency does not happen overnight -- it can develop slowly or be caused by your body’s inability to use stored...
A bone marrow transplant is a medical procedure in which a donor provides a special kind of blood, called hematopoietic stem cells, to a recipient. Bone marrow transplants are usually performed under anesthesia while the blood is taken from a...
Lymphomas are cancers of the white blood cells called lymphocytes, part of the body's immune system. In lymphoma, the lymphocytes morph into a cancer cell and accumulate in the lymph nodes and lymphatic system, where they crowd out normal...
The National Cancer Institute estimates that there will be 43,050 new cases and 21,840 deaths from leukemia in the United States in 2010. Although certain specific types of leukemia are very prevalent in children, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society...
Progress has been made in the field of stem cell research over the last several decades, and the future looks even brighter. Stem cell research began with embryonic stem cells, but adult stem cells are gaining ground as the future of stem cell...
Stem cells are unlike other cells because they can regenerate and differentiate into various kinds of cells. Stem cells occur during embryonic development and also are found in the adult body. They show promise for treating many health disorders.
