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Impact Factors of Cell Transplants

Cells are the smallest units of life. The human body has between 50 and 75 trillion cells, some of which are more essential than others. Cell transplants involve a donor providing some of his healthy cells to replace essential damaged cells in a recipient. For the transplant to succeed a variety of drugs may be used, some of which can have serious side effects. Cell transplants are generally only carried out when the patient is suffering from a life-threatening illness.

  1. Bone Marrow Stem Cells

    • Doctors may recommend that people suffering from severe blood diseases, certain types of cancer and some immune-deficiency diseases have their faulty or abnormal stem cells replaced with healthy ones from donors. Blood and marrow stem cell transplants allow the recipient to receive functioning stem cells that can develop into red blood cells to carry oxygen, white blood cells to fight infection and platelets to help blood clot. In order to receive the new stem cells, the patient must first undergo chemotherapy to kill the malfunctioning stem cells in her bone marrow. This also suppresses the immune system so the body doesn't try to fight off the incoming cells. Side effects of chemotherapy include hair loss, skin rashes, liver damage, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and fatigue. The body's weakened immune system makes it easier to get an infection. In some cases, a foreign stem cells can attack the patient's body. This is known as graft-versus-host disease. Recovery time after a stem cell transplant can take six months to a year. For all of these reasons, stem cell transplants are only used in the most serious cases.

    Retinal Stem Cells

    • Cell transplants have been used by U.K. scientists to successfully treat mice that have eye damage similar to that found in human eye diseases. The procedure involves taking retinal cells from the eye of a newborn mouse. These are then transplanted into the retina of a blind mouse where they connect with existing eye cells and restore some sight. Scientists are exploring the possibility of genetically modifying adult stem cells so they are able to act like the immature retinal cells found in mice.

    Islet Cells

    • Groups of cells known as islets exist in the pancreas and contain beta cells. These beta cells make the insulin required by the body to maintain blood glucose levels. These cells do not function in people with Type 1 diabetes, meaning insulin must be provided from an external source. Another option in some cases is islet transplantation. This involves the replacement of damaged islet cells with those taken from a donor's pancreas. Islet cell transplantation is still a relatively new therapy and cannot yet guarantee insulin independence. The drugs required to ensure that the transplanted cells are not rejected by the receiver's body can also have serious side effects.

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