What are the uses and functions of stem cells?
When a patient receives chemotherapy or undergoes radiation treatment, a person’s mature normal cells, stem cells and abnormal cells are damaged. Stem cells transplants are performed to provide new stem cells from a healthy donor to replace the defective ones. The stem cells: • can actively divide and produce new blood cells within 4-6 weeks and are used in the treatment of certain diseases, including some cancers and inherited diseases. The hematopoietic stem cells will stimulate regeneration of the blood components in the bone marrow damaged by very high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation. • correct diseases in which the marrow is diseased or does not function properly (e.g. immune deficiency, aplastic anemia, red cell aplasia, white cell disorders). • produce enzymes that are defective in children with inherited or inborn errors of metabolism. • produce other types of cells (glial cells and macrophages) that gradually travel to the brain, liver, and other organs.
