Unit 8 : Stem cell

Have you ever heard about stemcell?
You may heard alot about this in cosmetics. But I am going to talk about medical part.
In 2004, Korean doctor Wooseok-Hwang cloned somatic cells by using human egg as a first in the world. And from these , he also made embryonic stem cells. This was issued by 《Science》.
His success came into its own as opening road of treatment incurable disease. By the other side this provoked ehics matter like human cloning.

Different from other transplant technologies , stem cell is easy to extract. It can be get from skin ans then divided into liver, kidney or muscle. Embryonic stemcell can be extracted by transplanting somatic cell.
In placenta, cut after childbirth, also stem cell exists in it. When children get disease, children can be cured by this stemcell. Because of this, stem cell bank and placental blood storage industry appears in Korea.

Also stem cell has stability to use. There is no immune rejection response. Because it is from its own body. Nowadays cartilage stemcell is used to cure degenerative arthritics. And bone narrow stem cell is generally used to cure lukemia.
Adults' bodies also have dividable cell. From this we can avoid moral problems partially. This treatment is way to substitute damaged organs. Even it had unlimited possiblities theoretically.

Besides, above strength of stemcell, few things we have to check before use it. There are not only technological problems but also needs of verification about effect and safety.
It is overall in first step.
But the growth of technology is so fast that it will be soon ready to use.