Hematopoetic Stem Cell Treatment and Comparison of Stem Cell Sources

Hematopoetic Stem Cell Treatment and Comparison of Stem Cell Sources

•HSCs harvested from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood

•Chemotherapy and radiotherapy used to destroy diseased white blood cells

•HSCs transplanted back into bone marrow to replace white blood cells

•HSCs differentiate to form new healthy white blood cells

•Use of patient's own HSCs reduces risk of immune rejection in transplant

•Comparison of stem cell sources: Embryo, Cord blood, Adult

•Extraction ease: Embryo obtained from excess embryos, Cord blood easily obtained, Adult difficult to obtain

•Extraction ethics: Embryo requires destruction, Cord blood harvested at birth, Adult can give permission

•Growth potential: Embryo has almost unlimited potential, Cord blood has reduced potential, Adult has limited capacity

•Tumor risk: Embryo has higher risk, Cord blood has lower risk

•Differentiation capacity: Embryo can differentiate into any cell type, Cord blood and Adult have limited capacity

•Genetic damage: Embryo has less chance than adult cells, Adult cells can accumulate mutations

•Compatibility: Embryo cells not genetically identical, Cord blood cells are genetically identical to patient

•Arguments for Therapeutic Cloning: Potential for future discoveries, curing diseases/disabilities, less rejection and death, ability to take stem cells from embryos.