stem cells mark ellinger, ph.d., j.d. bethlehem presents series july 17,2008 mark ellinger, ph.d.,...

Stem CellsStem Cells

Mark Ellinger, Ph.D., J.D.Bethlehem Presents Series

July 17,2008

Mark Ellinger, Ph.D., J.D.Bethlehem Presents Series

July 17,2008

Stem CellsStem Cells

• What Are They?The term “stem cell” originated in the late

1800’s:Fertilized egg● “Germ” cells and immortalityblood-forming cells (hematopoietic stem

cells)

• Skin cells

Cells, particularly stem cells: highly complex, poorly understood

• What Are They?The term “stem cell” originated in the late

1800’s:Fertilized egg● “Germ” cells and immortalityblood-forming cells (hematopoietic stem

cells)

• Skin cells

Cells, particularly stem cells: highly complex, poorly understood

Stem CellsStem Cells

Just one component of the “cytoskeleton”:Just one component of the “cytoskeleton”:

Stem CellsStem Cells

• Cells that can continuously produce unaltered descendants, but also have the ability to produce descendants that have different, more restricted properties

• Cells that can continuously produce unaltered descendants, but also have the ability to produce descendants that have different, more restricted properties

Stem CellsStem Cells

Stem CellsStem Cells

• EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

Differentiation Potential: everything, including germ cells

Immortal in cultureCancer potential?

• EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

Differentiation Potential: everything, including germ cells

Immortal in cultureCancer potential?

Stem CellsStem Cells

Stem CellsStem Cells

Stem CellsStem Cells

SOURCES:•Normal or abnormal blastocyst•Blastocyst produced by transplanting adult cell nucleus into enucleated egg (“therapeutic cloning”)•Chimeric Animal/Human blastocysts?•Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC’s)

SOURCES:•Normal or abnormal blastocyst•Blastocyst produced by transplanting adult cell nucleus into enucleated egg (“therapeutic cloning”)•Chimeric Animal/Human blastocysts?•Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC’s)

Stem CellsStem Cells

“Adult” Stem Cells:Differentiation potential: variesLifespan in culture: varies (some reported to be unlimited)Role in the Body?

Progeria – a defect in stem cells?Affected by common drugs? (e.g.,

statins)Renewal/repairCancer?

“Adult” Stem Cells:Differentiation potential: variesLifespan in culture: varies (some reported to be unlimited)Role in the Body?

Progeria – a defect in stem cells?Affected by common drugs? (e.g.,

statins)Renewal/repairCancer?

Stem CellsStem Cells

Sources of Adult Stem Cells1) Umbilical cord (blood and tissue)2) Placenta3) Amniotic fluid4) Bone Marrow5) Fat6) Muscle7) Brain8) Other

Sources of Adult Stem Cells1) Umbilical cord (blood and tissue)2) Placenta3) Amniotic fluid4) Bone Marrow5) Fat6) Muscle7) Brain8) Other

Stem CellsStem Cells

What’s All the Excitement?

What’s All the Excitement?

Stem CellsStem Cells

• Animal studies: remarkable results to date

Heart and blood vessel repairParkinsons’s DiseaseMuscular dystrophy(To name just a few)

• Human clinical studies: pointing in the same direction (caution required!)

• Animal studies: remarkable results to date

Heart and blood vessel repairParkinsons’s DiseaseMuscular dystrophy(To name just a few)

• Human clinical studies: pointing in the same direction (caution required!)

Stem CellsStem Cells

Human Stem Cell Trials:

1) Heart attack (Osiris) (mesenchymal stem cells)2) Graft-versus-host-disease (Osiris)

(mesenchymal stem cells)3) Breast reconstruction (Cytori) (stem cells from

fat)4) Female incontinence (U. Pittsburgh) (connective

tissue and muscle stem cells)5) Peripheral vascular disease (Indiana U.; Tufts)

(adult bone marrow stem cells) (legs spared)6) Spinal cord injury (Geron) (embryonic stem

cells)

Human Stem Cell Trials:

1) Heart attack (Osiris) (mesenchymal stem cells)2) Graft-versus-host-disease (Osiris)

(mesenchymal stem cells)3) Breast reconstruction (Cytori) (stem cells from

fat)4) Female incontinence (U. Pittsburgh) (connective

tissue and muscle stem cells)5) Peripheral vascular disease (Indiana U.; Tufts)

(adult bone marrow stem cells) (legs spared)6) Spinal cord injury (Geron) (embryonic stem

cells)

Stem CellsStem Cells

7) Parkinson’s (Harvard, Yale, U. Colorado) (human neural stem cells into primates)

8) Batten’s Disease (childhood neural degeneration) (Stem Cells Inc.) (fetal

neural stem cells)9) Cure of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (EB)? (Univ. Minnesota) (bone marrow/cord blood stem cells)10) Joint and cartilage repair10) Many others

7) Parkinson’s (Harvard, Yale, U. Colorado) (human neural stem cells into primates)

8) Batten’s Disease (childhood neural degeneration) (Stem Cells Inc.) (fetal

neural stem cells)9) Cure of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (EB)? (Univ. Minnesota) (bone marrow/cord blood stem cells)10) Joint and cartilage repair10) Many others

Stem CellsStem Cells

Back to Embryonic Stem Cells:

Where to draw the line?

Back to Embryonic Stem Cells:

Where to draw the line?

Stem CellsStem Cells

1) Normal embryos produced to supply stem cells

2) Normal embryos produced for in vitro fertilization and frozen for storage3) Same as (2), but with no one to claim them4) Abnormal embryos discarded by in vitro fertilization clinics5) “Dead” embryos but with a few viable cells

(different from harvesting organs from accident victims?)6) Embryos produced by transplantation of adult cell nuclei 7) Same as (6), but genetically engineered to stop developing at an early stage8) Cells taken from normal embryos, leaving the embryos “intact”9) Human/Animal chimeric embryos

1) Normal embryos produced to supply stem cells

2) Normal embryos produced for in vitro fertilization and frozen for storage3) Same as (2), but with no one to claim them4) Abnormal embryos discarded by in vitro fertilization clinics5) “Dead” embryos but with a few viable cells

(different from harvesting organs from accident victims?)6) Embryos produced by transplantation of adult cell nuclei 7) Same as (6), but genetically engineered to stop developing at an early stage8) Cells taken from normal embryos, leaving the embryos “intact”9) Human/Animal chimeric embryos

Stem CellsStem Cells

Will iPSC’s solve the ESC dilemma?Will iPSC’s solve the ESC dilemma?

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Thanks for Listening!

Questions?

Thanks for Listening!

Questions?