Christian Worldview Concepts

The Superior Solution of Adult Stem Cells

An Undervalued Supply

In previous articles in this series I have vigorously argued against using stem cells from human embryos because to do so requires that the embryos be unjustifiably destroyed. Human beings, regardless of their size, location, or desireability, should not be destroyed for the benefit of other human beings.

Opposing embryonic stem cell research does not mean that one is opposed to all stem cell research. Adult stem cells have been shown to provide most, if not all, of the benefits anticipated from using embryos. In short, the promise of adult stem cell research has already been realized by the growing number of working, clinical therapies available to physicians.

There are aspects of adult stem cells that do not appear to be true of embryonic stem cells. For example, embryonic stem cell researchers claimed success when they were able to convert embryonic stem cells into islet cells, which produced 1/50th of the insulin needs of the mice used in the research protocol. Yet, adult pancreatic stem cells converted to islet cells secreted 100 percent of the insulin needs of the mice and reversed diabetes.¹

This is but one example of the benefits of using adult stem cells. Hundreds, if not thousands, of patients each day are successfully treated for a variety of conditions using adult stem cells. Adult stem cells are used to treat auto-immune diseases, cancer, leukemia, to name just a few applications. Adult stem cells are currently used over 15,000 times each year in the U.S. to replace the bone marrow of patients after high dose chemotherapy or radiation treatment. "The first hint that adults still harbor some multipotent cells came in the 1960's, when scientists discovered that bone marrow contained something that made white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. That something turned out to be hematopoetic ('blood-forming') stem cells."² There is every reason to believe the list will grow as research worldwide broadens.

There are numerous sources of adult stem cells, among them is fat, brain, bone marrow, lung, liver, pancreas, breast and tooth pulp. Given that Americans have been getting fatter in recent years, there seems to be an endless source of fat stem cells that most would be more than willing to donate! (It might even provide another excuse for not losing weight: "I'm not fat, I'm just a stem cell donor!")

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¹ N. Lumelsky et al., Differentiation of embryonic stem cells to insulin-secreting structures similar to pancreatic islets, Science Express (http://www.sciencexpress.org). Published online 26 April 2001; [DOI: 10.1126/science.1058866].
Also, V. K. Ramiya, et al, Reversal of insulin-dependent diabetes using islets generated in vitro from pancreatic stem cells, Nature Medicine 6, 278-282, March 2000.
² Verfaillie, Catherine Seeds of Hope. The Stem Cell Revolution Winter 2001:4.