Stem Cells and Nanotechnology in Spinal Injury Repair: Difference between revisions

The idea of using stem cells for the the purpose of regenerating organs was born in the early 21st century. Scientists studied creatures that were able to regenerate whole body parts in hopes of understanding how such a remarkable feat of biology could be applied to the human body. This research also revealed the amazing ability of the human liver to regenerate itself when a segment of it was removed. Though it never resumes its original shape, it regains its original mass (StemGenex, 2393).

[[File:Stem-cells.jpg|thumb|100px|right|Stem cells replicated in a lab.]] Stem cells were explored for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune condition in which the immune system incorrectly saw the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells as foreign and began attacking this protective coating, resulting in damage to the nerve cells and leading to slowing of messages to and from the brain. The use of mesenchymal stem cells has been shown to repair this damage as well as repairing the immune system, preventing further attacks. These cells are found in several places in the humanoid body, including in bone marrow, skin, and fat tissue and they produce cells that help other stem cells to function correctly. The theory behind the application of this method is that a scientist expands the cells in a laboratory and injects them into the space surrounding the spinal cord (intrathecal) with an end goal of inhibiting immune response and augmenting tissue repair (National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2394).

[[File:Borg-nanoprobe.jpg|left|thumb|100px|Nanotechnology schematics.]] Nanotechnology has also found applications in medicine since the early 21st century when mankind first imagined the use of nano (mini) robots to repair the body at a cellular level. One of the most progressive uses of the technology was engineered nanoparticles designed to deliver a variety of elements such as heat and drugs to specific cells, leading to direct treatment of these cells in hopes of reducing damage to healthy cells in the body and allowing for earlier detection of disease or mutations in cells. (Nanotechnology in Medicine: Nanomedicine, 2394).