Super Hero Stem Cells

Figure 1:
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How many of your parents have ever told you, you could grow up to be anything you want to? Well just like you could grow up to be anything you want to so can I! Hi I'm a stem cell and I have special abilities I like to call super powers. Just like other cells in your body can reproduce and divide so can I (2). What makes me so special? The "normal cells" in your body reproduce and divide into their original self. For example, a heart cell can only reproduce into another heart cell and a skin cell can only reproduce into another skin cell. My super powers give me the ability to transform into any other body cell that needs to be fixed (1).That picture above is of my grandfather and I, just like I don't know what cell I want to be, he didn't either. There are just so many options to choose from. I like to hang out in your bone marrow, a cavity in your bones (3). The picture below displays the area in the bone where the marrow is, that's the yellow substance you see. I can also be found in other animals, not just humans. In fact I was first discovered in lab rats a long time ago (2).  

Figure 2 : This is where stem cells are founf in that yellow area↖
Admin. F.B.R. Leukemia: Improving efficiency 
of bone marrow transplants. 
Conditions. Medical Redearch. 8 Sep 2013

Scientists are constantly studying me and my super powers. They say I have great potential to one day cure diseases such as diabetes or even cancer (1). My super powers aren't fully understood there are still many unanswered questions about me, that not even I know the answer to. I have been studied for many, many years, way before your grandparents were born (2). I am most abundant during your early stages of development when you were just a baby inside your mommy's tummy (2). During that stage I was in charge of creating other cells like your heart cells and your lung cells (1). I made sure to use my super powers to create a big strong baby. As you grow I become less bountiful and am only found in specific areas like that bone marrow I mentioned earlier that is shown in the picture above (1).


Scientists call my super powers pluripotency, (the ability transform into any other cell in your body) (2). They also think I can be used for cloning (2)! Imagine there being two or three or even 100 yous! They also think that one day I will be able to replace a lost arm or leg. I could even have the potential to fix a heart or a brain by reproducing into those cells (2). What else do you think I could transform to? Do you think that one I'll be able to create a human being all by myself? Some examples of the people I could help are our fellow soldiers who come back home hurt from war, without arms, or legs. I could also help your grandparents when they become really old and have trouble remembering things or often times lose things. How many of you guys know someone that has cancer? Well I have the potential to one day help that person feel better by creating healthier cells that could replace the sick cells. In fact I am used to help heal cancer found in someone's blood (1), but who knows maybe one day I'll be able to cure all types of cancer. My super power could one day save many lives.

Figure3: This is stem cells grow and are studied
Fisher scientific sterile
 polystyrene petri dish

When scientists study me they often do it in something called a petri dish (2). That's that clear container on your left. They place me in there and watch me multiply into more cells. Sometimes they give me chemicals that give me the instruction to transform into another cell or tissue(2). They also see how well I adapt to temperature changes.This could take many days, months, and even years. After carefully watching me they take notes and record any new findings during their experiments. This how scientists found out about my super powers by studying me! Maybe one day you'll be the scientist that studies me.



References

(1)Burgess, R. (2015). Short course ser.: Stem cells: a short course. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.

(2)Mummery, C., Stolpe, A., & Roelen, B. (2014). Stem Cells: Scientific facts and ficton. Saint Louis,Mo: Academic Press.

(3)Jin, J. (2017). Stem cell treatments. Jama, 317(3), 330 doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.17822

(4)Robertson, J. A. (2010) Embryo stem cell research: Ten years of controversy. Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics, 38(2), 191-203. doi: http://dx.doi.org.proxy-bloomu.klnpa.org/10.1111/j.1748-720X.2010.00479.x 

(5)Ross, H. H., Ambrosio, F. Trumbower, R. D., Reir, P. J., Behrman, A. L., & Wolf, S. L. (2016) Neural stem cell therapy and rehabilitation in the central nervous system: Emerging partnerships. Physical Therapy, 96(5), 734-742 doi: http://dx.doi.org.proxy-bloomu.klnpa.org/10.2522/ptj.20150063