• What are Stem Cells?

• Types of Stem Cells
• Embryonic Stem Cells
• Embryonic Germ Cells
• Cord Blood Stem Cells
• Adult Stem Cells
• What is the Potential?

• Research in Australia
• Stem Cell Fact Sheets
• FAQs
• Glossary
• Links
• Patient Information

What is the Potential?

Scientists around the world and in Australia are investigating the potential of different classes of stem cells to repair tissues by inducing them to become the cells necessary for repair or replacement of damaged or diseased tissues and organs. The potential of different stem cells is not completely clear at this point and, as reflected in its current programs, the ASCC believes the potential of both embryonic and adult stem cells needs to be investigated further.

The driving motivation at the ASCC is to apply the discoveries from stem cell research to develop a deeper understanding of disease processes and ultimately new and improved approaches to treat diseases and injuries. Through this process, the ASCC will also develop new research tools and diagnostic solutions.

Many people expect stem cell treatments or cures will be available for a vast array of diseases some time in the future. Although certain stem cells are currently used for treatment such as blood stem cells, most scientists are alarmed by the fact that many Australians believe the development of new, advanced stem cell treatments will be available within the next five years. There are fundamental obstacles that must be navigated before many of the expected stem cell treatments will be available. The additional potential for stem cells to provide a therapeutic benefit for a range of prevalent diseases will be slowly and carefully revealed as more work is done on understanding the properties of stem cells and the application of stem cell therapies on a range of disease models.

More basic research is required to understand the properties and characteristics of stem cells, particularly embryonic stem cells, before treatments can be tested in clinical trials. Similar to any other development of a therapeutic product, the preclinical process will take some years – probably ten or fifteen. But along the way scientists expect to discover important research and diagnostic tools that will contribute to a burgeoning body of knowledge about certain diseases. Scientific challenges must be met with careful consideration and managed with due care to ensure enough is known in terms of safety and efficacy before candidates are enlisted in clinical trials.

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Stem cells have potential uses in many different areas of research and medicine:

• Human adult and embryonic stem cells could be used in the generation of cells and tissues for cell-based therapies (that is, treatments in which stem cells are induced to differentiate into specific cell types that are then used to replace damaged cells within the body). Due to their ability to replace damaged cells in the body, stem cells could be used to treat a range of conditions including heart failure, spinal injuries, diabetes and Parkinson disease or other diseases that involve cell damage or loss. It is hoped the introduction of undifferentiated or differentiated stem cells into damaged tissue will lead to the regeneration of the cell types within that tissue. For example, haematopoietic stem cells (blood stem cells found in bone marrow) are transplanted into leukaemia patients to generate new blood cells. In the future, neural stem cells may be able to regenerate nerve tissue, damaged by spinal cord injury, brain cells destroyed in Parkinson’s disease or stroke, or insulin-producing islet cells,that are destroyed in type 1 diabetes.
• Embryonic stem cells could also be used to study early events in human development and how cells differentiate and function. This may help researchers find answers as to why cells become cancerous and what causes some birth abnormalities. This may give scientist clues as to how such abnormalities and diseases may be prevented.
• Human adult and embryonic stem cells grown in the laboratory may be used for identifying potential new drugs for treatment of serious diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, and for testing drugs and chemicals before they are trialled in animals and people. These cells could be directed to differentiate into the cell types that are important for screening drugs and may be more likely to mimic the response of human tissue, compared to some of the animal models currently being used. This may make drug testing safer, cheaper and more ethically acceptable to those who oppose the use of animals in pharmaceutical testing.
• Stem cells may be useful in screening potential toxins in substances such as pesticides before they are used in the environment.
• Stem cells may prove useful in the development of new methods for gene therapy that may help people suffering from genetic illnesses.

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