Stem cell Transplant: Making every Human a Potential Lifesaver
Hi Friends,
On the 25th of April 2018 (obviously), I did a very unusual thing. I stayed through the whole session of the UK parliamentary Prime Minister Questioning where the Prime Minister got to brace heavily the full wrath of the MPS and opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn in the House of Common. Apart from the predominant talks about the Windrush generation, the eradication of junk eating in the country and the affectations of foreign policies on the Brexit, I was able to pick on several by-the-side issues raised by the MPS. The one issue that appealed to me more was the one raised by a certain Colleen Fletcher. Permit me to quote her words;
Image Source: Wikimedia, authored by Ryddragyan, Public Domain Licensed - Human Stem cells.
The stem cell transplant could be a life saving treatment for people with blood cancer. Recent research shows that having a younger stem cell donor improves the chance of surviving stem cell post-transplant. Will the Prime Minister join me in supporting the upcoming BE A LIFE SAVER campaign... which aims to recruit more young people aged 16-20 to be stem cell donors. And will she join me in congratulating the 1000 people... who are already signed up to be donors.
Stem cell donors aged 16-20, 1000 consenting donors, these got me thinking. I couldn't exactly say I didn't know about blood cancer or the various organs and systems of the body that can be donated, but I never really imagined that a part of the body could be so freely donated to save blood cancer patients! And the donation of stem cells to save these ailing people, doesn't it come with its own complications to both the donor and the person being donated to. After all, it's not blood or kidneys we are talking about here, it's some stem thingy that very much sounds like the root of life itself. If nothing else, I very well am sure that I am not the only one puzzled with these questions. This informs the feasibility of the study that characterises this post.
What are Stem Cells?
It all boils down to knowing what stem cells are. I wasn't too wrong. Stem cells are connotatively roots, but they are not the roots of plants or entire bodies, they are the roots of cells. What do I mean by this? Stem cells are undifferentiated cells in the body that are able to differentiate into other specialised cells. This means that the stem cells have the ability to grow into other cells of its kind or vastly different cell types. But these cells don't naturally grow in and out of themselves. They are cultured and directed to do so.
Before taking two steps forward, let's take one step backward. Largely, it's easy to guess that adults have these stem cells in various parts of their bodies-the liver, the bone marrow etc. But you would also want to know that there is yet another more effective source of obtaining stem cells. And that is from the blastocysts.
A blastocyst is an embryo, four-five days old, that has not made the uterus a permanent residence. Given that the coming together of a male sperm and a female egg gives rise to one cell, the zygote, it is only expected that this cell divides into several other cells which two parts- the inner cell mass (the embryoblast) and the outer cell mass (the trophoblast). While the trophoblast forms into a rocky mass of placenta, the embryoblast goes ahead to divide into the several specialised parts of the baby, after which the baby is safely delivered into the uterus to officially become a foetus.
Even without appealing to all the jargon of medicine, it is easy to tell that the blastocyst is a potential mass of undifferentiated cells. Because they have no split to make so many parts already, they are more potent than the adult stem cells as they can regenerate any particular organ or system of body.
The scientists, in recognising this potential, have come a long way in developing a means to keep the stem cells undifferentiated as they are being extracted from these blastocysts, so that they will be usable in due Course. As to the legality of destroying human embryos (or blastocysts) just to perform little tricks with research chimera (animal implanted with human cells) or dying human souls, well, we don't want to begin to delve into it, trust me.
Considerably, the adult stem cells are the highly utilized stem cells in scientific studies and transplantations, especially those of young adults. I am particularly interested in the possibilities in stem cell extraction and transplants. And I am sure you are too.
Regenerative Medicine
The possibilities of stem cells are infinite. Given that they can recreate tissues of any sort, they come on quite handy in regenerative medicine. Now begin to think of just what needs regeneration in our times. Damaged tissues needing repair, broken bones, thoroughly burnt skins that need new cuticles. No, that can't be all. How about the possibility of curing multiple sclerosis by translating neural stem cells to rid the brain of the nerve disease plaguing it; how about dealing with deficient cells in the body; what of the possibility of putting an end to cardiovascular ailments, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, spinal cord defects and the likes?
Image Source: Wikimedia, Authored by Mikael Haggstrom, Public Domain LICENSED
These positivities are not so farfetched. They are as imminent as the many positive successes have come from transplanting adult hematopoietic, lymphoid (or myeloid) stem cells used in curing cancer and other immunodeficient diseases like sickle cell anemia and leukemia. Indeed, the possibility of using stem cells to engage in regenerative practices puts one power within our reach- the power to recreate life.
Meet Mrs. Debling
Image Source: Wikimedia, CC 4.0 Licensed.
Mrs. Debling's story has gone viral all over the internet. Kim Debling's is 34, a mother of two, and a wife to one of the most amazing men in Earth. According to her, "my life itself is wonderful". But wonderful as her life was, it had to be threatened by a ravenous cancerous disease, Cutaneous T-Cell lymphoma. This disease which occurred and was addressed in her earlier years only resurfaced when she was pregnant with her second child, Harvey. According to the doctors, the pregnancy hormones did something to reawaken the cancer, so that what at first felt like a show off of eczema spots on her face, turned into red lumps that spread through her face and entire body. Now, Mrs. Debling stares death in the face in a pathetic facedown.
However, this needn't be her fight alone. Just like Anthony Nolan puts it, "for someone with blood cancer, an amazing stranger donating their stem cells could be their best chance of survival.". Mrs. Debling, just as the millions of blood cancer out there, needs a stem cell transplant. And even as I am not particularly thrilled by the fact that nature throws in our part this really big mounds, in form of red lumps and shaved heads and pain, I am thankful for the fact that nature has also placed potential lifesavers to remove those mounds and replace them with something more organic like happiness. And what’s more, that lifesaver that could be anybody; it could be me, and it could just as well be you.
Therapeutic cloning is gonna save many life... This is an awesome post you have here...
I love the story infused into the whole article...
You're a legend..
Thank you. I am beyond flattered. This has definitely bolstered my zest to do more.
Go on ma'am.. Keep steeming!!
"Now begin to think of just what needs regeneration in our times. "
So many things need regeneration in our time, from plants even up to humans.
Nice post@funmiakinpelu
Good work @funmiakinpelu. Really enlightening and interestingly written.