In stem cells, researchers see hope for cures

The following is a list of diseases for which researchers say embryonic stem cells could potentially lead to cures through somatic cell nuclear transfer. This process takes isolated somatic cells from a patient and tranfers them to a donated egg. The created embryo is allowed to grow into a blastocyst, from which cells are plucked and cultured. These cells can then be turned (or differentiated) into tissue cells for the same patient.

Human embryonic stem cells can be used to form any kind of stem cell that is needed, and this versatility is thought to make them better for research purposes.

Autoimmune diseases/musculoskeletal/connective tissue disorders

• Arthritis, Crohn’s disease, Devic’s syndrome, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes

Cancers

• Bladder/kidney, brain/central nervous system, breast, colon/lower bowel, endometrium/cervix/ovary, esophagus, leukemia, liver, lungs/respiratory system, lymphoma, myeloma, pancreas, prostate, skin, stomach

Cardiovascular diseases

• Acute ischemic heart disease (angina), myocardial infarction (heart attack), chronic ischemic heart disease (athersclerotic heart disease), cardiomyopathy cerebrovascular disease (stroke)

Circulatory/respiratory diseases

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis

Injuries

• Severe burns, shaken baby syndrome, spinal cord injury

Eye disorders

• Macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa

Infectious diseases

• HIV/AIDS

Metabolic diseases

• Adrenoleukodystrophy, aspartylglycosaminuria, Canavan’s disease, cystic fibrosis, Fabry disease, fucosidosis, Gaucher disease, leukodystrophy, mucopolysaccharidoses, Niemann-Pick disease, Pompe disease, porphyria, sickle cell disease, Tay-Sachs disease, Type 2 diabetes

Muscular dystrophies

• Becker, Duchenne, Emery Dreifuss, facioscapulohumeral, Fukuyama, limb-girdle, myasthenia-gravis, myotonic dystrophy

Neurological diseases of adulthood

• Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Parkinson’s disease

Neurological diseases of childhood

• Asperger syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, childhood disintegrative disorder, Down syndrome, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, Rett syndrome

Source: Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures