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Stem Cells and

Regenerative
Medicine
Zach Scheiner,
PhD
Science Officer

What are stem cells? What are


the different types of stem cells?

Why should we study stem


cells? What potential therapies
could they provide?
What are some of the challenges
facing stem cell research?

All Stem Cells


Can
1. Self-Renew
2. Differentiate

Self-Renewal (symmetric cell


division)

Differentiation (asymmetric cell


division)

Progenitor cell

Stem cell

Stem cell

Skin Cell

Skin Progenitor Cell


Embryonic
Stem Cell

Neuron (Brain Cell)

Neural Progenitor Cell

Stem Cell Types

Embryonic

pluripotent: can

form
almost any cell type in the human
body

Tissue-Specific (Adult)
multipotent: can form only limited
types of cells (blood, brain, liver,
etc.)

Induced Pluripotent
engineered

Conception
In Vitro Fertilization
in a Dish

In Vitro Fertilization

Day 1

In Vitro Development

Day 1

In Vitro Development

Day 2

In Vitro Development

Day 2

In Vitro Development

Day 3

In Vitro Development

Day 4

In Vitro Development

Day 5
Embryonic
Stem
Cells

This cell can form all of the


cells in the human body

This cell can form


almost every cell type
in the human body

Fully mature

Human embryonic stem cells in


culture

Fluorescent imaging of
human embryonic stem cell
colonies

What Diseases Do Stem


Cells Treat? Have the
Potential to Treat?
Currently
Potential to
Treat
Treat
- Blood Diseases (including
immune system disorders)
- Genetic metabolic
disorders (very
limited/experimental)
- Tissue/organ replacement
(very limited/experimental)

- Heart Disease
- Neurological Diseases
(Parkinsons, Alzheimers,
Huntingtons & others)

- Stroke
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Macular Degeneration (a

and
common cause of blindness)
more!
Cancer
- HIV/AIDS
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Multiple Sclerosis

Bone Marrow (Hematopoietic Stem Cell)


Transplant
Example of a tissue-specific stem cell therapy

Trachea transplantation
Example of tissue-specific stem cell-based tissue
replacement

Click on Picture to Play Video

Tissue-specific (adult) stem


cells are powerful and
promising!
Why do researchers study
embryonic stem cells?
Tissue-specific stem cells are limited
in their differentiation potential (blood
blood)
Stem cells from some tissues are
inaccessible
Some tissue-specific stem cells dont

Embryonic Stem-Cell
Derived Heart Muscle
Cells

Click on Pictures to Play Videos

Applications for
Embryonic Stem
Cells
Video: Diabetes
A CIRM Disease Team

Video:
Age-Related Macular Degene
ration (AMD)

Video: CIRM Disease Team for Type 1


Diabetes

Video: CIRM Disease Team for AgeRelated Macular Degeneration (AMD)


Eye Disease

What are some of the


challenges facing
embryonic stem cell
research?

Differentiation of stem cells


into
mature, functional cells
Potential for tumor
formation

Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS)


Cells
Genetically engineering new stem cells
Virus
engineered
to express four
key
pluripotency
genes
Pros: No embryos
required
No immune
rejection?
Disease in a dish?

Skin cellsCons: May not be = to


ESCs

Genetically
engineered

iPS cells

Video: Parkinsonsdisease-ina-dish

Acknowledgements
- Todd Dubnicoff
- Amy Adams
- Laurel Barchas

www.cirm.ca.gov

Extra Slides

Neural stem cells for drug


delivery
Focused delivery of chemotherapy for cancer
Day 0

Day 7

Day 14

NSCs
injected
(no tumor)

NSCs
injected
(tumor)

Shah et al. Dev Neurosci 2004

Stem cells for drug delivery


Focused delivery of chemotherapy for cancer
Another CIRM Disease Team

Genetically Engineered
Neural Stem Cells

Mice are given a nontoxic drug, which the


neural stem cells can
convert to an active drug
to shrink tumors!

Milestones in Embryonic
Development
Days 7-14: Embryo implants in the uterus
Day 14:
Three distinct layers begin to
form
(no more embryonic stem cells)
Days 14-21: Beginning of future nervous
system
Days 21-24: Beginning of future head,
neck,
mouth, and nose
Weeks 3-8: Beginning of organ formation
Week 8:
Embryo is called a fetus

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