Part II

 

Stem cells are part of the new age of medicine. Even if it had its beginnings centuries ago, today, because of advanced technology, its full potential can be powerfully and easily harnessed.

 

What is the intrinsic nature of a stem cell? There are three types:

 

• Fertilized egg or germ cell. This has the potential to lead to the total and complete formation of an entire organism. Also referred to as Totipotent (all potential), it can become any cell type of the body.

 

• Pluripotent.  This has the potential to become virtually any cell type except a germ cell. Embryonic stem cells (ESC) are traditionally called pluripotent stem cells.

 

• Multipotent. These are stem cells that are tissue specific, which have less self-renewal ability than the pluripotent variety.

 

But this again is like going through the history of stem cells.  This was the general thinking then.

 

But now, medicine is changing in the way it views life. Why? Because recent studies have since shown strong evidence of something amazing.

 

Adult stem cells (ASC) were once generally considered multipotent.  But today, there is reason to believe that adult stem cells have pluripotent and totipotent capabilities.

 

Therefore, is science expanding in knowledge, or is this proof that our bodies are evolving, adapting, surviving and even surpassing our own limitations?

 

The breaking news is this: adult stem cells were identified that appear even more primitive or pluripotent than embryonic stem cells. Translation: A person’s very own stem cells can be harvested, stored and reintroduced into the body in strategic organs or tissues via injection.

 

Another approach is to support the release of stem cells from the bone marrow. The use of adult stem cells transcends and bypasses all ethical boundaries facing embryonic stem cell research and approaches.

 

‘Stemness’

 

Is there a “stemness” of a cell?  The answer is yes. This is the ability of a cell to divide through generations without losing its pluripotentiality. In short, a 50th-generation cell will be identical to the very first cell of the first generation.

 

ESC has been studied for many years, but only in 1998 were ESC grown successfully in vitro.

 

James Thomson succeeded where many had failed. For several years, he worked to develop a culture media for primate stem cells.

 

He grew human ESC in a primate culture. But this spurred a series of questions.

 

1) Because ESC can become any cell type, could this be injected to improve various degenerative diseases?

 

2) Would it be possible to grow organs in vitro for organ transplants?

 

3) Could the genetic material of ESC be manipulated to prevent weak genes in an organ or grow a new organ with one’s DNA?

 

But this subjected science to ethical scrutiny. First of all, the source of human ESC is human embryos.

 

Clearly the question is, “When is an embryo truly considered a human being?”

 

One view is that the fertilized egg has the potential to becoming a human being and has the constitutional right to life. Proponents of ESC research argue that an embryo is so far from a full human being and cannot survive on its own.

 

Moreover, if it can be used to save lives, how wrong can it be? The debate continues.

 

But what is worrisome to most is the fact that culturing human ESC could lead to human cloning.

 

ASC have the capacity to renew themselves and to differentiate into specialized cells. These are predominantly found in the bone marrow, blood, liver, intestines, muscles, brain and pancreas.

 

There are various types of ASC with exotic-sounding names. Suffice it to say that they all have the power to repair and heal the body.

 

Why only now is this fascinating knowledge being discovered?

 

Truth is, there exists a healing  system inside our bodies. The process is now known.

 

1) Our bodies have a mechanism that triggers stem cell mobilization.

 

2) Stem cells do “traffic” in the blood.

 

3) Stem cells are recruited by an injured tissue.

 

4) Stem cells must proliferate in the injured tissue.

 

5) There exists a mechanism that triggers the transformation of SC into the cells of a specific tissue.

 

There is more to stem cells than meets the eye. A connection exists between the body, mind and spirit that will liberate us all. More importantly, the truth will empower us.

 

Affirm today:  “I am empowered.”

 

Love and light!

 

Reference: “Cracking the Stem Cell Code” by Christian Drapeau, MSC