How are cell therapies being used today?
Even though most of the work done in this field has been experimental, most scientists find cell therapy so promising that they believe it is only a matter of time before its use becomes routine. And while many of the hoped-for uses of cell therapy sound futuristic, there are a few forms of this technique that have already been in use for years. Bone marrow transplants are an example of cell therapy in which the stem cells in a donor’s marrow are used to replace the blood cells of the victims of leukemia and other cancers. Cell therapy is also being used in experiments to graft new skin cells to treat serious burn victims, and to grow new corneas for the sight-impaired. In all of these uses, the goal is for the healthy cells to become integrated into the body and begin to function like the patient’s own cells. Heart So far, the results of such experiments have exceeded expectations. In a recent advance, pancreatic cells grown from stem cells were implanted into the body of a diabetic a
Bone marrow transplants are an example of cell therapy in which the stem cells in a donor’s marrow are used to replace the blood cells of the victims of leukemia and other cancers. Cell therapy is also being used in experiments to graft new skin cells to treat serious burn victims, and to grow new corneas for the sight-impaired. Recently, pancreatic cells derived from stem cells were implanted into the body of a diabetic and began to produce insulin. In all of these applications, the goal is for the healthy cells to become integrated into the body and begin to function like the patient’s own cells. The results of these experiments have far exceeded expectations. Even though cell therapy is a new science, early results have caused great optimism to the medical and health care industries.
