Stem Cell Research 101

Stem Cell Research

Stem Cell Research 101: A promising type of bioscience research The Stem Cell debate and the impact of the induced pluripotent stem cell procedure

Stem Cell Research 101

Why y Is Vocabulary y Important? p

Key K terms t f frame th the d debate b t
Mature versus adult stem cells Early Early versus embryonic embryonic stem cells Therapeutic versus reproductive cloning

Definitions
Multipotent Give rise to multiple but limited cell types Pluripotent Flexible, give rise to any cell type in y the body
Stem Cell Research 101

What Is a Stem Cell?

Unspecialized cells Give rise to more than 250 specialized pe i li ed cells ell in the body Serve as the bodys repair system
Renew itself p other Replenish cells
Stem Cell Research 101

Mature Stem Cells (MSC)

What Are the Sources of Mature Stem Cells?

Mature Body Tissues
Brain Neural eu a ce cells s Heart Cardiac muscle

Bone marrow Blood cells Stem Cell Research 101

What Is a Treatment Example? p

Stem Cell Research 101

Umbilical Cord & Placenta SC Research

Isolated l d immediately following g birth Whartons Jelly showing promise as a source More flexibility = some pluripotent p p characteristics Research is limited but growing
Stem Cell Research 101

Early Stem Cells (ESC)

What Are the Sources of Early y Stem Cells?

Stem Cell Research 101

Where Are Early y Stem Cells Found?

Who did it first? In 1998, U. Wisconsin research team isolates stem cells from IVF-blastocysts

5 days y of development

Stem Cell Research 101

How Big g Is a Blastocyst? y

Stem Cell Research 101

What Are the Characteristics?

Early a y stem ste cells are

pluripotent

R Retain i the h special ability to develop into nearly any cell ll type
Stem Cell Research 101

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT)

Sometimes referred to as

therapeutic cloning

SCNT: Asexual Reproduction p

No sperm involved Transfers nucleus from a mature cell into a donor egg Requires electric or chemical h i l stimulus ti l to t begin dividing Functionally F nctionall different from regular fertilized egg
Stem Cell Research 101

How Would SCNT Treat Disease?

Stem Cell Research 101

What Should You Know About SCNT?

Purpose:
Find cures and therapies for diseases Awaken the natural capacity for self self-repair repair that resides in our genes

Potential Results:
Patients will receive own stem cells to treat disease No need for donor match
Like transplantation, but without rejection
Stem Cell Research 101

What Should You Know About SCNT?

No reputable scientist wants to clone

human beings

SCNT stem cells are alive in a Petri dish Unless implanted in uterus, you can not generate t af fetus t Evidence suggests that SCNT stem cells may never develop into a human even when implanted
Stem Cell Research 101

Most Recent Discovery

Induced pluripotent stem cell
2006/2007 - mouse and human induced pluripotent stem cells were produced. Introduce 3/4 genes found in stem cells into adult fibroblast cells ll Ethical concerns eliminated, b t th but therapeutic ti concerns remain
Patient

Stem Cell Research 101

Most Recent Discovery

Adult/Mature (skin) Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells (Induced Pluripotent Stem iPS)

Addition of Genes
Stem Cell Research 101

Curing Mice of Sickle Cell Anemia

Remove sickle cell DNA
Skin cells from mice with sickle cell anemia

Replace with proper genetic code Induce genetic change to bone marrow cells
iPS cells

Marrow cells producing blood cells free of sickle cell mutation

Infuse each mouse with corrected marrow cells made from its own skin cells

Stem Cell Research 101

Public Policy and Ethics

How Is Stem Cell Research Funded and Regulated?

Both Kinds of SCR are Needed

Mature Stem Cells First isolated in 1960s ~50 years of research Federal Funding g= >$2.462 Billion (FY04FY07) Results: 50+ human therapies Early Stem Cells First isolated in 1998 10 years of research Federal Funding g= $144 Million (FY04-FY07) Results: Only in animal trials; No human trials

Stem Cell Research 101

Who Funds Stem Cell Research?

NIH All Stem Cell Research FY04 to FY07 = $2.462 Billion NIH Early Stem Cell Research FY04 to FY07 = $144 Million
NIH Funding ($ in millions and rounded)
Research Stem Cell Research Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research FY04 Actual 553 24 FY05 Actual 609 40 FY06 Actual 643 38 FY07 Actual 657 42 FY08 Estimate 656 42 FY09 Estimate 655 41

Source: NIH Budget Office (as of Feb. 2008)

Stem Cell Research 101

Why y Is Federal Funding g Important? p

Most basic research supported by NIH funds Basic research requires millions of dollars over many years Difficult to find private funding for research that is far from commercialization It will be difficult for ESC research to advance without federal funding

Stem Cell Research 101

Who Is Overseeing g Research Ethics in the U.S.?

National Academies of Science
Issued recommended guidelines in April 2005 Scientific community developed guidelines
No government involvement

Purpose: enhance the integrity of privately funded early stem cell research by encouraging g g responsible p practices p Urged all institutions to establish oversight committees; ; compliance p is voluntary y
Stem Cell Research 101

What Are the Current Federal Restrictions?

Bush August g 2001 decision Limits federal funding to 78 stem t cell ll lines li eligible li ibl [global]
21 stem cell lines still viable [global] Concerns about contamination, ability to use in actual treatments, and long-term viability of stem cells
Stem Cell Research 101

What Are the Current State Restrictions?

Current State Policies
(as of January 2008)

Stem Cell Research 101

Q Questions?

Stem Cell Research 101