What diseases could be treated by stem cells?
Research may lead to the development of stem cell-based therapies for many debilitating chronic and degenerative diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, blindness, muscle-wasting diseases, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. Stem cell-based therapies will be based on the abilities of stem cells to regenerate damaged cells. For example, creating insulin-producing cells for Type I diabetes patients, repairing damaged heart muscle, or restoring muscle tissue in people with muscular dystrophy. However, there are many other potential applications for stem cell research. Stem cells could be used to create replacement tissue, such as skin for burn victims, or perhaps even entire organs. Drug companies may use stem cells to test drugs and identify which recipients might benefit most from the treatment. Studying stem cells with genetic defects, such as those leading to motor neuron disease, will enable scientists to learn more about the disease development and help in the
