For those of us not familiar with regenerative medicine, it is the latest and greatest thing that has been happening in the world of medicine for the last 30 years. Regenerative medicine seeks to use biochemistry, molecular biology and engineering to heal the body. While regrowing organs can be a wonderful promise for many, advancements in gene therapy and stem cell research have met their fair share of controversy today. Let’s take a brief look at some hot spots in the field today.
- Stem Cells
Generally speaking, stem cells are cells that can transform into any kind of cell type. Stem cells are powerful because they can be used in therapeutic treatments for a plethora of physical ailments. As amazing as they are, stem cells have garnered controversial attention surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells. The controversy is derived from the fact that embryonic stem cells are harvested by destroying embryos. If you would like to know more about stem cells, their uses, and controversy, the following link can direct you to informational videos on the subject.
https://www.eurostemcell.org/theme/general-stem-cell-knowledge
- 3D printing biomaterials
What a lot of people don’t know is that organs are complex biological systems that are composed of several different types of cells and tissues. In order to recreate organs, many scientists are trying to use 3D printing to create the scaffolding for things like blood vessels and kidneys, then culture the necessary cell types in the tissue. This also extends to creating biocompatible materials that can be used to replace tissues for cell culture. The following link is a literature review of what is currently happening in the world of 3D printing tissue engineering.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872108/
- Gene Therapy
In recent years the world has experienced rapid growth in the understanding of the human genome. As bio informaticists merge computer science and information from the human genome into computer programs, our ability to understand an individual’s genetic predispositions accelerates. Together both fields are creating the possibility for individuals to seek out specific medical treatment based on their DNA. As glorious as it is to offer specialized treatment based on an individual’s alleles, it has also created buzz surrounding CRISPR and other gene editing technologies which can cut, remove, and insert DNA to alter someone’s genome. Below is another resource for anyone who would like to know more about gene therapy.
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/therapy/genetherapy
In conclusion
In looking at these emerging technologies, it is important for us to consider what they mean since we will be the future patients accepting treatments based on advancements in this field. However, we must also be careful not to create laws and regulations before it is fully developed otherwise we risk limiting its potential. The important discussion that needs to surround the topic of regenerative medicine should focus on when it is appropriate to pursue certain treatments as opposed to conventional medicine and after the technology has fully matured, what regulations should we put on it if any.
*Image courtesy of mtec-sc.org
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