Greg and Olga were both a little worried. Starting a family presented choices and responsibilities far more long-reaching and complex than anything either of them had encountered before, and sitting here in the reception area of the genetic counselor’s office they were beginning to feel the pressure. They had met four years earlier in the hemophilia clinic where Greg was waiting for his brother Jeff to get an injection of factor viii, a protein that helps the blood to clot. When a person’s factor viii level is very low (less than normal), even the smallest cuts can be troublesome and uncontrolled internal bleeding is common. Complications include swelling, joint damage, and an increased likelihood of neurological complications due to intracerebral bleeding. Even simple surgical procedures such as tooth extractions become far more risky. Jeff’s condition was noted by his pediatrician shortly after birth when his circumcision bled profusely. Since then, Jeff has received monthly injections of factor viii, either at home or (twice a year) at a clinic where his physical condition is reviewed by a physician’s assistant. At first these injections contained clotting factor isolated from the blood of human donors but, for the last 7 years or so, he has received recombinant clotting factor, which is genetically engineered.…
extracting stem cells from the umbilical cord and or bone marrow then they might be used…
Many people think that the stem cells for treating human conditions should be obtained from umbilical cords rather than human embryos.…
What if your mother suddenly has a terrible heart attack and now needs open heart surgery. Picture your son or daughter getting into car wreck and needs an emergency blood transfusion. Imagine a sibling having leukemia, and needs regular blood transfusions to survive. Not exactly what you want to think about on a Sunday afternoon, but these are the harsh realities of the world we live in. Many of you may have experience with these tragedies, and lost. If your thinking “I wish I knew of a way to help” well there is a way. With the simple donation of blood, platelets or plasma, you could save the life of a loved one or a complete stranger.…
In America there is an intense debate over the ethical implications of embryonic stem cell research. Conservatives lobby to halt the research because these practices destroy life while liberals advocate for this research due to its potential to cure disease. What the debate is over are stem cells. Stem cells are found in multi-cellular organisms and have the ability to differentiate into a wide variety of specialized cell types and also to renew themselves through mitotic divisions (Claiborn, 2011). There are three types of stem cells, embryonic, adult, and cells from cord blood. Embryonic stem cells are totipotent, meaning that they can differentiate into all cell types within an organism. The other types of stem cells…
2. What are the general differences between private and public cord blood banks? Most private facilities provide an opportunity for donors to store their cord blood. This is in the hope that if, in the future, a member of their family becomes sick with a stem cell treatable disease, there might be a perfectly matched unit available to them. Other private banks collect cord blood in case that child develops a condition that could be treated with their own cord blood. For this service they charge an up-front collection fee and then typically charge a yearly rate for on-going storage of the cord blood unit (NHS Blood and Transplant, 2013). Publicly or government funded facilities, such as the NHS Cord Blood Bank, collect cord blood from public hospitals, free of charge to the donor. The potentially lifesaving product is then stored indefinitely for possible transplant. This unit is available for any patient that needs this particular special tissue type. There is no charge to the donor but the product is not stored specifically for that person or their family (NHS Blood and Transplant, 2013).…
Moving onto the role that Dr. Karl Landsteiner and his ABO system had on influencing societal perspectives. Before the discovery of classifying blood into four categories, A-B-AB-O, blood transfusions were very difficult and highly dangerous. Moreover, what ended up happening was when the transfusion didn’t work, the blood would clot and end up killing the transfusion recipient.…
In November 1998, two independent teams U.S scientists reported that they had succeeded in isolating and culturing stem cells obtained from human embryos and fetuses. Because many diseases result from the death or dysfunction of a single cell type, scientists believe that the introduction of healthy cells of this type into a patient may restore lost or compromised function. The research of stem cells is a new study proving the a stem cell (a primitive type of cell) can be coaxed into developing into most 220 types of cells found in the human body. However, ethics comes into play when we are faced with the legitimate question regarding either side of the positive and negative opinion, the problem truly lies in the actually source of the stem cells.…
The first task of dissecting this debate is to differentiate between the two types of stem cell research. The first is adult (also called somatic or germ-line) stem cell research and is generally accepted and endorsed by all groups. Taken from human bone marrow or other deep tissues, this type of research has already been used for years in the treatment of many diseases, most notably Leukemia. Even the Catholic Church supports adult stem cell research, going so far as to partner with certain groups to further adult stem cell research funding. The disagreement lies in embryonic stem cell research. In embryonic stem cell research, a human embryo is created and then destroyed in order to obtain the intended stem cells. The circumstances which make the embryonic cells more desirable are two-fold. First, technology for embryonic stem cell research is currently farther along than somatic cell research; and therefore, it is cheaper. The more important distinction is in the quality of the cells collected. Adult…
Today medicine has reached great success in the treatment and prevention of many illnesses. Currently, scientists and doctors are paying more attention to technology of cells. Cord blood is the blood that remains in a newborn's umbilical cord after birth. Cord blood, like bone marrow, is an invaluable source of a type of stem cell that can be used in a variety of medical treatments. New parents now have the option of taking an active role in treating future illness much like a biological insurance policy. A process known as cord blood banking allows families to save these valuable resources for potential future medical use.…
The umbilical cord is used as a basic lifeline from the mother to the baby throughout the pregnancy. If stem cells from the umbilical cord are collected, they can help the human being long after birth. A benefit is the flexibility of the umbilical cord which allows them to easily function within the body after the transplant- which results in a smaller chance of the body rejecting the cells,…
Over the years, blood transfusions have saved and taken many lives. As doctor’s have become more knowledgeable about the circulatory system and the blood that runs through it, the use of blood transfusions have steadily decreased. As a result, transfusion alternatives have steadily decreased. For a long time now, blood transfusions have contributed to transmission of disease, a weakened immune system, and increased recovery time. Blood transfusions have proven to be very effective in saving people’s lives who suffer from life threatening injuries or illnesses. Doctors and patients are exploring alternative treatments that use either no blood or small fractions of the patient's own blood.…
This debate on embryonic stem cell research has held on over three decades. The controversy has not ended at this time. The controversy is about the work that holds immense promises from the scientific end and the opponents who view them as giving less value to human life. The most recent debate uses the very early part of development of stem cells for the potential to be alleviate conditions ranging from diabetes to Alzheimer's Disease. In 2001 the Bush Administration proclaimed a policy that permits some research with federal funds used with very strict rules. This policy has gathered little support three years later from the…
3. Cord blood stem cells: used to treat diseases and conditions of the blood or to restore the blood system after treatment for specific cancers.…
For almost all of the 3.9 million babies born each year, a nurse is there to witness whether or not the infant is able to receive its own blood supply from the placenta (Leslie, 2015). During volunteering at the Mayo Clinic Hospital, I managed to ask a nurse about this concept of delayed umbilical cord clamping, and to my knowledgeable assumption, at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Eau Claire they practice delayed cord clamping, unless there are contradictions. As we know, nurses and midwifes can all be leaders in helping to make sure that there birth team, and the families are educated on the evidence that surrounds the highly recommended use of delayed umbilical cord…