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Stem Cells Then, Now, and Later
The History, Progression, and Future of Stem Cell Research
"The science of today is the technology of tomorrow"
- Edward Teller
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Stem Cell Potential
Currently, stem cell research has reached its borders, treating existing diseases and achieving limited healing. Stem cell researchers have determined that the key to tapping into these unique cells' full potential requires the activation and deactivation of certain genes in the human genome.
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With the progression of stem cell research and development, scientists believe that people will inevitably be able to regrow tissue, organs, and entire limbs by utilizing specific techniques. With existing research, it has been determined that certain medications, such as antidepressants, already elicit the production of stem cells in the body. Many antidepressants actually promote the production of new neurons within the brain, a tell-tale sign of stem cell productivity.
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Obstacles
"To screen drugs effectively, the conditions must be identical when comparing different drugs. Therefore, scientists must be able to precisely control the differentiation of stem cells into the specific cell type on which drugs will be tested. For some cell types and tissues, current knowledge of the signals controlling differentiation falls short of being able to mimic these conditions precisely to generate pure populations of differentiated cells for each drug being tested."
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Stem cell researchers need to identify how cells become specialized in order to pursue further accomplishments in the field. Beyond the ethical dilemmas, the technologies necessary to isolate and target singular base pairs has not yet been developed. To decode the genes needed for regeneration and disease prevention, these genes must be properly screened and identified with future technological developments. These breakthroughs could be the initial stepping stone in the direction of tissue, organ, and organism regeneration.
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