6.+The+Future+of+Stem+Cell+Therapy

Researchers and scientists are working to design stem cell therapies that are more effective and reduce the rejection of tissues and the risk to patients. In the future it may be possible to use samples of the patient´s stem cells to create tissue.

There are different possibilities: - Collecting healthy adult stem cells from a patient and manipulating them to create new tissue. - Creating embryonic stem cells that are genetically identical to the patient - Manipulate existing stem cells within the body

Scientists think about using stem cell technology to replace damaged or diseased tissue. But in like any research project there are some questions to face: - How long will a stem cell therapie last? ( Reason: Our cells are continually aging and regenerate. So if adult stem cells are used maybe they will not last long.) - Can we assure stem cell therapie won´t cause tumors in the body? ( Reason: Embryonic stem cells are programmed to divide and accrete. By using them the risk of them getting out of control and continue to divide is given.)

The answers to these questions are not easy to find, because it´s difficult to stimulate the body´s normal environment in the laboratory. The success on stem cell therapies relys on our ability to manipulate stem cells in a way that will be accepted as normal by the body.