Stem Cell Research History

According to the National Institutes of Health, stem cells are cells that have the ability to split and duplicate at a remarkable rate, and can develop into many different types of cells during the stages of early life. In many tissues, stem cells have the ability to repair bodily systems so long as the host is still alive. Stem cell research has become a controversial issue among religious and political groups, but the potential of stem cell research is undeniable.

Beginning

• Stem cell research began in the 1800s when it was discovered that some cells could produce other cells, according to allaboutpopularissues.org. In the 1900s, researchers found that certain cells could even produce blood cells, and the thirst for extensive stem cell research was born.

  Stem research is conducted using both animal and human stem cells, and according to the National Institutes of Health originally centered around two types of stem cells, embryonic stem cells and nonembryonic "somatic" or "adult" stem cells. Early research focused on bone marrow transplants when researchers discovered that bone-marrow infused mouse blood could battle anemia and leukemia in the mice.

Breakthrough

• In the late1950s, human bone marrow transplants were attempted in France after a serious radiation accident. Allaboutpopulardiseases.org says that large scale bone marrow transplant and stem cell research was not conducted until 1958 when French medical researcher Jean Dausset identified the first of many human histocompatibility antigens, or proteins found on the surface of most cells in the human body. These antigens determine what belongs in the human body and what does not, so learning to manipulate these antigens could mean the difference between the body destroying newly transplanted bone marrow or accepting it.

Transplant Technology

• At first, transplants between twins with compatible antigens were the only successful option. In the 1960s, scientists had learned enough about compatibility to transplant between siblings who were not identical twins, and in 1973 after seven different attempts, doctors were able to perform a bone marrow transplant between two unrelated people.

  By the 1990s, stem cell research was expanding rapidly, and as organ transplant technology accelerated, so too did the realization that stem cells also may be helpful in regenerating certain tissues such as liver tissue, which might help repair organs damaged by disease.

Embryonic Cells

• In 1998, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin named James Thompson isolated early embryonic cells that had generational properties. In that same year, another researcher named John Gearhar of Johns Hopkins University extracted cells from fetal gonadal tissue. According to the National Institutes of Health, these discoveries led to the ability to grow stem cell lines called human embryonic stem cells. The original extracted cells came from fetuses conceived for reproductive purposes through in-vitro fertilization.

Advancements and Continued Research

• Researchers associated with the National Institutes of Health discovered in 2006 that by genetically altering adult cells, they could change these cells to adopt the characteristics of stem cells, eliminating the need for fetal stem cells. These new cells are called "induced pluripotent" stem cells.

  Advancement of stem cell research could offer new solutions for treating many diseases through cell-based therapies, but much more research is needed.