Stem Cell Therapy for Neurone Damage Flashcards

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What is a stem cell?

A stem cell is a cell that has not yet specialised and can divide to make many types of new cells.

What is meant by stem cell therapy for neurone damage?

Stem cell therapy for neurone damage means using stem cells to grow new neurones to replace ones that have been damaged.

Why is neurone damage in the brain or spinal cord hard for the body to repair by itself?

Most neurones in the brain and spinal cord cannot divide, so the body cannot easily replace them when they are damaged.

How could stem cell therapy help someone with spinal cord damage?

Stem cells could be turned into new neurones and put into the damaged spinal cord to help nerve impulses pass again, which may improve movement or feeling.

Name two possible sources of stem cells used to treat neurone damage.

Stem cells can come from early embryos and from adult tissues such as bone marrow.

What is one basic step in using stem cells to treat neurone damage?

Stem cells are grown in the lab and are encouraged to develop into neurones before being placed into the damaged area.

What is one possible benefit of stem cell therapy for neurone damage?

It could help people who are paralysed or who have lost feeling to regain some movement or sensation.

Why might stem cell therapy for neurone damage not always work?

The new neurones may not grow in the right place or make the correct connections, so normal function may not return.

What is one medical risk of using stem cells to repair neurones?

The stem cells may divide too much and form a tumour.

What is one ethical concern about using embryonic stem cells to treat neurone damage?

Using embryonic stem cells involves using and destroying very early embryos, and some people believe this is wrong.

How might the immune system cause problems in stem cell therapy for neurone damage?

The immune system may see the transplanted cells as foreign and attack them, so the treatment may fail.

Why is stem cell therapy for neurone damage still being researched?

Scientists are still finding how to control stem cells safely, make them form the right neurones, and check long-term effects.