StemCell Therapy

Our Technology

Chicago Stem Cell Treatment Center uses adipose derived stem cells for deployment & clinical research. Early stem cell research has traditionally been associated with the controversial use of embryonic stem cells. The new focus is on non-embryonic adult mesenchymal stem cells which are found in a persons own blood, bone marrow, and fat. Most stem cell treatment centers in the world are currently using stem cells derived from bone marrow.

A recent technological breakthrough enables us to now use adipose (fat) derived stem cells. Autologous stem cells from a persons own fat are easy to harvest safely under local anesthesia and are abundant in quantities up to 2500 times those seen in bone marrow.

Clinical success and favorable outcomes appear to be related directly to the quantity of stem cells deployed. Once these adipose derived stem cells are administered back in to the patient, they have the potential to repair human tissue by forming new cells of mesenchymal origin, such as cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons, nerve, fat, muscle, blood vessels, and certain internal organs. Stem cells ability to form cartilage and bone makes them potentially highly effective in the treatment of degenerative orthopedic conditions. Their ability to form new blood vessels and smooth muscle makes them potentially very useful in the treatment of peyronies disease and impotence. Stem cells are used extensively in Europe and Asia to treat these conditions.

We have anecdotal and experimental evidence that stem cell therapy is effective in healing and regeneration. Stem cells seek out damaged tissues in order to repair the body naturally. The literature and internet is full of successful testimonials but we are still awaiting definitive studies demonstrating efficacy of stem cell therapy. Such data may take five or ten years to accumulate. In an effort to provide relief for patients suffering from certain degenerative diseases that have been resistant to common modalities of treatment, we are initiating pilot studies as experimental tests of treatment effectiveness with very high numbers of adipose derived stem cells obtained from fat. Adipose fat is an abundant and reliable source of stem cells.

Chicago Stem Cell Treatment Centers cell harvesting and isolation techniques are based on technology from Korea. This new technological breakthrough allows patients to safely receive their own autologous stem cells in extremely large quantities. Our treatments and research are patient funded and we have endeavored successfully to make it affordable. All of our sterile procedures are non-invasive and done under local anesthesia. Patients who are looking for non-surgical alternatives to their degenerative disorders can participate in our trials by filling out our treatment application to determine if they are candidates. Chicago Stem Cell Treatment Center is proud to be state of the art in the new field of Regenerative Medicine. RETURN TO TOP

We are currently in the process of setting up FDA approved protocols for stem cell banking in collaboration with a reputable cryo-technology company. This enables a person to receive autologous stem cells at any time in the future without having to undergo liposuction which may be inconvenient or contraindicated. Having your own stem cells available for medical immediate use is a valuable medical asset.

Provisions are nearly in place for this option and storage of your own stem cells obtained by liposuction at CSCTC or from fat obtained from cosmetic procedures performed elsewhere should be possible in the near future. RETURN TO TOP

Adult (NonEmbryonic) Mesenchymal Stem Cells are undifferentiated cells that have the ability to replace dying cells and regenerate damaged tissue. These special cells seek out areas of injury, disease and destruction where they are capable of regenerating healthy cells and enabling a persons natural healing processes to be accelerated. As we gain a deeper understanding of their medical function and apply this knowledge, we are realizing their enormous therapeutic potential to help the body heal itself. Adult stem cells have been used for a variety of medical treatments to repair and regenerate acute and chronicially damaged tissues in humans and animals. The use of stem cells is not FDA approved for the treatment of any specific disease in the United States at this time and their use is therefore investigational. Many reputable international centers have been using stem cell therapy to treat various chronic degenerative conditions as diverse as severe neurologic diseases, renal failure, erectile dysfunction, degenerative orthopedic problems, and even cardiac and pulmonary diseases to name a few. Adult stem cells appear to be particularly effective at repairing cartilage in degenerated joints. RETURN TO TOP

Regenerative Medicine is the process of creating living, functional tissues to repair or replace tissue or organ function lost due to damage, or congenital defects. This field holds the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs in the body by stimulating previously irreparable organs to heal themselves. (Wikipedia) RETURN TO TOP

Traditionally, we have used various medications and hormones to limit disease and help the body repair itself. For example, hormone replacement therapy has, in many cases, shown the ability to more optimally help the immune system and thus help us repair diseased or injured tissues. Genetic research is an evolving area where we will eventually learn and utilize more ways of specifically dealing with gene defects causing degenerative disease. Stem cell therapy is another rapidly evolving and exciting area that has already shown considerable promise in treating many degenerative conditions. RETURN TO TOP

A stem cell is basically any cell that can replicate and differentiate. This means the cell can not only multiply, it can turn into different types of tissues. There are different kinds of stem cells. Most people are familiar with or have heard the term embryonic stem cell. These are cells from the embryonic stage that have yet to differentiate as such, they can change into any body part at all. These are then called pluri-potential cells. Because they are taken from unborn or unwanted embryos, there has been considerable controversy surrounding their use. Also, while they have been used in some areas of medicine particularly, outside the United States they have also been associated with occasional tumor (teratoma) formations. There is work being conducted by several companies to isolate particular lines of embryonic stem cells for future use.

Another kind of stem cell is the adult stem cell. This is a stem cell that already resides in ones body within different tissues. In recent times, much work has been done isolating bone-marrow derived stem cells. These are also known as mesenchymal stem cells because they come from the mesodermal section of your body. They can differentiate into bone and cartilage, and probably all other mesodermal elements, such as fat, connective tissue, blood vessels, muscle and nerve tissue. Bone marrow stem cells can be extracted and because they are low in numbers, they are usually cultured in order to multiply their numbers for future use. As it turns out, fat is also loaded with mesenchymal stem cells. In fact, it has hundreds if not thousands of times more stem cells compared to bone marrow. Today, we actually have tools that allow us to separate the stem cells from fat. Because most people have adequate fat supplies and the numbers of stem cells are so great, there is no need to culture the cells over a period of days and they can be used right away. RETURN TO TOP

These adult stem cells are known as progenitor cells. This means they remain dormant (do nothing) unless they witness some level of tissue injury. Its the tissue injury that turns them on. So, when a person has a degenerative type problem, the stem cells tend to go to that area of need and stimulate the healing process. Were still not sure if they simply change into the type of injured tissue needed for repair or if they send out signals that induces the repair by some other mechanism. Suffice it to say that there are multiple animal models and a plethora of human evidence that indicates these are significant reparative cells. RETURN TO TOP

This will depend on the type of degenerative condition you have. A specialist will evaluate you and discuss whether youre a potential candidate for stem cell therapy. If after youve been recommended for treatment, had an opportunity to understand the potential risks and benefits, and decided on your own that you would like to explore this avenue of treatment, then you can be considered for treatment. Of course, even though its a minimally invasive procedure, you will still need to be medically cleared for the procedure. RETURN TO TOP

No. Only adult mesenchymal stem cells are used. These cells are capable of forming bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, ligaments, blood vessels, and certain organs. Embryonic stem cells are associated with ethical considerations and limitations. RETURN TO TOP

Patients suffer from many varieties of degenerative illnesses. There may be conditions associated with nearly all aspects of the body. Board certified specialists are ideal to evaluate, recommend and/or treat, and subsequently follow your progress. Together, through the CSCTC, we work to coordinate and provide therapy mainly with your own stem cells, but also through other avenues of regenerative medicine. This could include hormone replacement therapy or other appropriate recommendations.

For example, if you have a knee problem, you would see CSCTCs Board Certified orthopedic surgeon rather than a generic clinic director. Also, you might be recommended for evaluation for hormone replacement therapy or an exercise program should such be considered optimal. Nonetheless, we believe stem cell therapy to be the likely foundation for regenerative treatment.It should also be noted, that all treatments are currently in the investigational stage. While we recognize our patients are seeking improvement in their condition through stem cell therapy, each treatment is part of an ongoing investigation to establish optimal parameters for treatment, to evaluate for effectiveness and for any adverse effects. It is essential that patients understand they are participating in these investigational (research) analyses. Once sufficient information is appropriately documented and statistically significant, then data (validated by an Institutional Review Board) may be presented to the FDA for consideration of making an actual claim. RETURN TO TOP

Urology, cosmetic surgery, ear, nose, & throat, orthopedics, internal medicine and cardiology are represented. Plans are currently being made for a number of other specialties. Chicago Stem Cell Treatment Center is the first multispecialty stem cell center in the United States. RETURN TO TOP

Many have been told that they require surgery or other risky treatments for their ailments and are looking for non-invasive options. Some have heard about the compelling testimonials about stem cells in the literature and on various websites. Many have read about the results of stem cell treatments in animal models and in humans. CSCTC gives a choice to those informed patients who seek modern regenerative therapy but desire convenience, quality and affordability. CSCTC fills a need for those patients who have been told that they have to travel to different countries and pay as much as twenty to one hundred thousand dollars for stem cell treatments off shore. (See stem cell tourism). RETURN TO TOP

Stem cells are harvested and deployed during the same procedure. Our patients undergo a minimally-invasive liposuction type of harvesting procedure by a Board Certified cosmetic surgeon in our specialized treatment facility in Vernon Hills, IL. The harvesting procedure generally lasts a few minutes and can be done under local anesthesia. Cells are then processed and are ready for deployment within 90 minutes or less. RETURN TO TOP

Bone marrow sampling (a somewhat uncomfortable procedure) yields approximately 5,000 60,000 cells that are then cultured over several days to perhaps a few million cells prior to deployment (injection into the patient). Recent advances in stem cell science have made it possible to obtain high numbers of very excellent quality multi-potent (able to form numerous other tissues) cells from a persons own liposuction fat. CSCTC uses technology acquired from Asia to process this fat to yield approximately five hundred thousand to one million stem cells per cc of fat, and therefore, it is possible to obtain as many as 10 to 40 million cells from a single treatment. These adipose derived stem cells can form many different types of cells when deployed properly including bone, cartilage, tendon (connective tissue), muscle, blood vessels, nerve tissue and others. RETURN TO TOP

CSCTC patients have their fat (usually abdominal) harvested in our special sterile treatment facility under a local anesthetic. The fat removal procedure lasts approximately twenty minutes. Specially designed equipment is used to harvest the fat cells and less than 100cc of fat is required. Post operative discomfort is minimal and there is minimal restriction on activity. RETURN TO TOP

Stem cells are harvested under sterile conditions using a special closed system technology so that the cells never come into contact with the environment throughout the entire process from removal to deployment. Sterile technique and antibiotics are also used to prevent infection. RETURN TO TOP

No. Only a persons own adult autologous cells are used. These are harvested from each individual and deployed back into their own body. There is no risk of contamination or risk of introduction of mammalian DNA into the treatments. RETURN TO TOP

These facilities are obtaining stem cells from bone marrow or blood in relatively small quantities and they are then culturing (growing) the cells to create adequate quantities. Research seems to indicate that success of treatment is directly related to the quantity of cells injected. CSCTC uses adipose derived stem cells that are abundant naturally at approximately 2,500 times levels found in bone marrow (the most common source of mesenchymal stem cells). CSCTC uses technology that isolates adipose stem cells in vast numbers in a short time span so that prolonged culturing is unnecessary and cells can be deployed into a patient within 90 minutes of harvesting. RETURN TO TOP

CSCTC is doing pioneer research and treatment of many diseases. All investigational data is being collected so that results will be published in peer review literature and ultimately used to promote the advancement of cellular based regenerative medicine. FDA regulations mandate that no advertising medical claims be made and that even website testimonials are prohibited. RETURN TO TOP

No. Many are confused by this because they have heard of cancer patients receiving stem cell transplants. These patients had ablative bone marrow therapy and need stem cells to re-populate their blood and marrow. This is different from the stem cells we deploy to treat noncancerous human diseases at CSCTC. RETURN TO TOP

Adult mesenchymal stem cells are not known to cause cancer. Some patients have heard of stories of cancer caused by stem cells, but these are probably related to the use of embryonic cells (Not Adult Mesenchymal Cells). These embryonic tumors known as teratomas are rare but possible occurrences when embryonic cells are used. RETURN TO TOP

Stem cell therapy is thought to be safe and not affect dormant cancers. If someone has had cancer that was treated and responded sucessfully, there is know reason to withhold stem cell deployment. In most cases, stem cells should not be used in patients with known active cancer. RETURN TO TOP

We know of no documented cases personally or in the literature where serious harm has resulted. All of our patients will be entered into a database to follow and report any adverse reactions. This information is vital to the development of stem cell science. There have been a few reports of serious complications from overseas and these are being thoroughly evaluated by epidemiologists to ascertain the facts. The International Stem Cell Society registry has over 1,000 cases currently registered and only 2% of the treatments were associated with any complications, none of which were considered serious adverse events. RETURN TO TOP

None. Our aim is to make cell based medicine available to patients who are interested and to provide ongoing research data under approved Institutional Review Board (IRB) validated studies. We will follow our stem cell treatment patients over their lifetimes. This will enable us to accumulate significant data about the various degenerative diseases we treat. Instead of providing simply anecdotal or testimonial information, our goal is to categorize the various conditions and follow the patients progress through various objective (e.g. x-ray evidence or video displays) and subjective (e.g. patient and/or doctor surveys) criteria. We are aware of a lot of stories about marked improvement of a variety of conditions, but we make no claims about the intended treatment. At some point, once adequate amounts of data are accumulated, it might be appropriate to submit the information to the FDA at which point an actual claim may be substantiated and recognized by the Agency. Still, these are your own cells and not medicines for sale. They are only being used in your own body. Most likely, no claim needs to be made; rather a statistical analysis of our findings would suffice to suggest whether treatments are truly and significantly effective. We also hope to submit our patients data to an approved International Registry (See ICMS Stem Cell Registry) further fostering large collections of data to help identify both positive and negative trends. RETURN TO TOP

Our adipose derived stem cell harvesting and isolation technique yields extremely high numbers of stem cells. In reviewing outcomes data, treatment cell numbers appear to correlate with treatment success. Our cells are actually in a type of soup called Stromal Vascular Fraction SVF which is stem cells bathed in a rich mixture of natural growth factors (Not the same as human growth factor hormone which is only one type of growth factor). Some types of orthopedic and urologic diseases appear to respond better to stem cells that are super enriched with growth factors created by administering Platelet Rich Plasma to the patient. Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma is derived from a patients own blood drawn at the time of deployment. At CSCTC we do not add any foreign substances or medications to the stem cells. RETURN TO TOP

Depending on the type of treatment required, stem cells can be injected through veins, arteries, into spinal fluid, subcutaneously, or directly into joints or organs. All of these are considered minimally invasive methods of introducing the stem cells. Stem cells injected intravenously are known to seek out and find (see photo) areas of tissue damage and migrate to that location thus potentially providing regenerative healing. Intravenously injected stem cells have been shown to have the capability of crossing the blood-brain barrier to enter the central nervous system and they can be identified in the patients body many months after deployment. Note yellow arrow showing the stem cells concentrated in the patients hand where he had a Dupytrens contracture (Dupuytrens contracture is a hand deformity that causes the tissue beneath the surface of the hand to thicken and contract). RETURN TO TOP

Different conditions are treated in different ways and there are different degrees of success. If the goal is regeneration of joint cartilage, one may not see expected results until several months after treatment. Some patients may not experience significant improvement and others may see dramatic regeneration of damaged tissue or resolution of disease. Many of the disorders and problems that the physicians at CSCTC are treating represent pioneering work and there is a lack of data. FDA regulations prevent CSCTC from making any claims about expectations for success, however, if you are chosen for treatment, it will be explained that we believe stem cell therapy may be beneficial or in some cases that we are unsure and treatment would be considered investigational. RETURN TO TOP

Stem cell therapy relies on the bodys own regenerative healing to occur. The regenerative process may take time, particularly with orthopedic patients, who may not see results for several months. In some diseases, more immediate responses are possible. RETURN TO TOP

No. Only certain medical problems are currently being treated at CSCTC. Check our list or fill out a candidate application form on the website. All patients need to be medically stable enough to have the treatment in our facility. There may be some exceptional conditions that may eventually be treated in hospitalized patients, but that remains for the future. Some patients may be declined due to the severity of their problem. Other patients may not have conditions appropriate to treat or may not be covered by our specialists or our protocols. A waiting list or outside referral (if we know of someone else treating such a problem) might be applicable in such cases. RETURN TO TOP

Yes. Patients with uncontrolled cancer are excluded. If you have an active infection anywhere in your body you must be treated first. Severely ill patients may require special consideration. Also, anyone with a bleeding disorder or who takes blood thinning medications requires special evaluation before consideration for stem cells. RETURN TO TOP

The specialist seeing you at CSCTC will make a determination based on your history and exam, studies, and current research findings. Any complex cases may be reviewed by our ethics advisory committee. Occasionally, we may seek opinions from thought leaders around the world. RETURN TO TOP

No. Participation in any of our protocols is not mandatory and there are no incentives, financial or otherwise, to induce patients to enroll in our studies. However, CSCTC is dedicated to clinical research for the development of stem cell science. CSCTC is taking an active role in cutting edge clinical research in the new field of regenerative medicine. Research studies will be explained and privacy will be maintained. Formal future research studies will be regulated by an Institutional Review Board which is an authorized agency that promotes validity, transparency and protection of human study enrollees. RETURN TO TOP

At this time, we are not treating autism, spinal cord injuries, and some advanced diseases. See list of problems currently being studied at CSCTC. RETURN TO TOP

Patients who are considered to be candidates based on information provided in the candidate application form will be invited for a consultation with one of our panel physicians. A non-refundable fee of $150 is charged for this consultation which includes office evaluation (but may also include physicians evaluation of X-Rays, records, or telephonic consultations). CSCTC will apply this $250 towards the cost of the stem cell treatment procedure should the patient be selected. Unfortunately, insurance generally will not cover the actual cost of stem cell treatment in most cases since stem cell therapy is still considered experimental. The cost varies depending on the disease state being treated and which type of stem cell deployment is required. RETURN TO TOP

Because of recent innovations in technology, CSCTC is able to provide outpatient stem cell treatment at a fraction of the cost of that seen in many overseas clinics. The fee covers fat cell harvesting, cell preparation, and stem cell deployment which may include the use of advanced interventional radiology and fluoroscopy techniques. Financing is available through a credit vendor. RETURN TO TOP

Stem cells can be cryopreserved in the form of liposuction fat for prolonged periods of time. Currently, this service is outsourced to an outside provider known to have excellent quality control. Many patients have been inquiring about banking cells while they are still young since stem cell numbers drop naturally with each decade of life and some advocate obtaining and saving cells to be used later in life as needed. (see chart). RETURN TO TOP

Most patients, especially those with orthopedic conditions, require only one deployment. Certain types of degenerative conditions, particularly auto-immune disease, may respond best to a series of stem cell deployments. The number and necessity of any additional treatments would be decided on a case by case basis. Financial consideration is given in these instances. RETURN TO TOP

A good resource is the International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS). Stem Cells 101

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Read more from the original source:
FAQs - chicagostemcellsinstitute.com

Cloning/Embryonic Stem Cells

The term cloning is used by scientists to describe many different processes that involve making duplicates of biological material. In most cases, isolated genes or cells are duplicated for scientific study, and no new animal results. The experiment that led to the cloning of Dolly the sheep in 1997 was different: It used a cloning technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer and resulted in an animal that was a genetic twin -- although delayed in time -- of an adult sheep. This technique can also be used to produce an embryo from which cells called embryonic stem (ES) cells could be extracted to use in research into potential therapies for a wide variety of diseases.

Thus, in the past five years, much of the scientific and ethical debate about somatic cell nuclear transfer has focused on its two potential applications: 1) for reproductive purposes, i.e., to produce a child, or 2) for producing a source of ES cells for research.

The technique of transferring a nucleus from a somatic cell into an egg that produced Dolly was an extension of experiments that had been ongoing for over 40 years. In the simplest terms, the technique used to produce Dolly the sheep - somatic cell nuclear transplantation cloning - involves removing the nucleus of an egg and replacing it with the diploid nucleus of a somatic cell. Unlike sexual reproduction, during which a new organism is formed when the genetic material of the egg and sperm fuse, in nuclear transplantation cloning there is a single genetic "parent." This technique also differs from previous cloning techniques because it does not involve an existing embryo. Dolly is different because she is not genetically unique; when born she was genetically identical to an existing six-year-old ewe. Although the birth of Dolly was lauded as a success, in fact, the procedure has not been perfected and it is not yet clear whether Dolly will remain healthy or whether she is already experiencing subtle problems that might lead to serious diseases. Thus, the prospect of applying this technique in humans is troubling for scientific and safety reasons in addition to a variety of ethical reasons related to our ideas about the natural ordering of family and successive generations.

Several important concerns remain about the science and safety of nuclear transfer cloning using adult cells as the source of nuclei. To date, five mammalian species -- sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, and mice -- have been used extensively in reproductive cloning studies. Data from these experiments illustrate the problems involved. Typically, very few cloning attempts are successful. Many cloned animals die in utero, even at late stages or soon after birth, and those that survive frequently exhibit severe birth defects. In addition, female animals carrying cloned fetuses may face serious risks, including death from cloning-related complications.

An additional concern focuses on whether cellular aging will affect the ability of somatic cell nuclei to program normal development. As somatic cells divide they progressively age, and there is normally a defined number of cell divisions that can occur before senescence. Thus, the health effects for the resulting liveborn, having been created with an "aged" nucleus, are unknown. Recently it was reported that Dolly has arthritis, although it is not yet clear whether the five-and-a-half-year-old sheep is suffering from the condition as a result of the cloning process. And, scientists in Tokyo have shown that cloned mice die significantly earlier than those that are naturally conceived, raising an additional concern that the mutations that accumulate in somatic cells might affect nuclear transfer efficiency and lead to cancer and other diseases in offspring. Researchers working with clones of a Holstein cow say genetic programming errors may explain why so many cloned animals die, either as fetuses or newborns.

The announcement of Dolly sparked widespread speculation about a human child being created using somatic cell nuclear transfer. Much of the perceived fear that greeted this announcement centered on the misperception that a child or many children could be produced who would be identical to an already existing person. This fear is based on the idea of "genetic determinism" -- that genes alone determine all aspects of an individual -- and reflects the belief that a person's genes bear a simple relationship to the physical and psychological traits that compose that individual. Although genes play an essential role in the formation of physical and behavioral characteristics, each individual is, in fact, the result of a complex interaction between his or her genes and the environment within which he or she develops. Nonetheless, many of the concerns about cloning have focused on issues related to "playing God," interfering with the natural order of life, and somehow robbing a future individual of the right to a unique identity.

Several groups have concluded that reproductive cloning of human beings creates ethical and scientific risks that society should not tolerate. In 1997, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission recommended that it was morally unacceptable to attempt to create a child using somatic cell nuclear transfer cloning and suggested that a moratorium be imposed until safety of this technique could be assessed. The commission also cautioned against preempting the use of cloning technology for purposes unrelated to producing a liveborn child.

Similarly, in 2001 the National Academy of Sciences issued a report stating that the United States should ban human reproductive cloning aimed at creating a child because experience with reproductive cloning in animals suggests that the process would be dangerous for the woman, the fetus, and the newborn, and would likely fail. The report recommended that the proposed ban on human cloning should be reviewed within five years, but that it should be reconsidered "only if a new scientific review indicates that the procedures are likely to be safe and effective, and if a broad national dialogue on societal, religious and ethical issues suggests that reconsideration is warranted." The panel concluded that the scientific and medical considerations that justify a ban on human reproductive cloning at this time do not apply to nuclear transplantation to produce stem cells. Several other scientific and medical groups also have stated their opposition to the use of cloning for the purpose of producing a child.

The cloning debate was reopened with a new twist late in 1998, when two scientific reports were published regarding the successful isolation of human stem cells. Stem cells are unique and essential cells found in animals that are capable of continually reproducing themselves and renewing tissue throughout an individual organism's life. ES cells are the most versatile of all stem cells because they are less differentiated, or committed, to a particular function than adult stem cells. These cells have offered hope of new cures to debilitating and even fatal illness. Recent studies in mice and other animals have shown that ES cells can reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease in mouse models, and work in other animal models and disease areas seems promising.

In the 1998 reports, ES cells were derived from in vitro embryos six to seven days old destined to be discarded by couples undergoing infertility treatments, and embryonic germ (EG) cells were obtained from cadaveric fetal tissue following elective abortion. A third report, appearing in the New York Times, claimed that a Massachusetts biotechnology company had fused a human cell with an enucleated cow egg, creating a hybrid clone that failed to progress beyond an early stage of development. This announcement served as a reminder that ES cells also could be derived from embryos created through somatic cell nuclear transfer, or cloning. In fact, several scientists believed that deriving ES cells in this manner is the most promising approach to developing treatments because the condition of in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos stored over time is questionable and this type of cloning could overcome graft-host responses if resulting therapies were developed from the recipient's own DNA.

For those who believe that the embryo has the moral status of a person from the moment of conception, research or any other activity that would destroy it is wrong. For those who believe the human embryo deserves some measure of respect, but disagree that the respect due should equal that given to a fully formed human, it could be considered immoral not to use embryos that would otherwise be destroyed to develop potential cures for disease affecting millions of people. An additional concern related to public policy is whether federal funds should be used for research that some Americans find unethical.

Since 1996, Congress has prohibited researchers from using federal funds for human embryo research. In 1999, DHHS announced that it intended to fund research on human ES cells derived from embryos remaining after infertility treatments. This decision was based on an interpretation "that human embryonic stem cells are not a human embryo within the statutory definition" because "the cells do not have the capacity to develop into a human being even if transferred to the uterus, thus their destruction in the course of research would not constitute the destruction of an embryo." DHHS did not intend to fund research using stem cells derived from embryos created through cloning, although such efforts would be legal in the private sector.

In July 2001, the House of Representatives voted 265 to 162 to make any human cloning a criminal offense, including cloning to create an embryo for derivation of stem cells rather than to produce a child. In August 2002, President Bush, contending with a DHHS decision made during the Clinton administration, stated in a prime-time television address that federal support would be provided for research using a limited number of stem cell colonies already in existence (derived from leftover IVF embryos). Current bills before Congress would ban all forms of cloning outright, prohibit cloning for reproductive purposes, and impose a moratorium on cloning to derive stem cells for research, or prohibit cloning for reproductive purposes while allowing cloning for therapeutic purposes to go forward. As of late June, the Senate has taken no action. President Bush's Bioethics Council is expected to recommend the prohibition of reproductive cloning and a moratorium on therapeutic cloning later this summer.

Prepared by Kathi E. Hanna, M.S., Ph.D., Science and Health Policy Consultant

Last Reviewed: April 2006

See the article here:
Cloning/Embryonic Stem Cells - National Human Genome ...

The restorative properties of stem cells:

Stem cells are unique because they drive the natural healing process throughout your life. Stem cells are different from other cells in the body because they regenerate and produce specialized cell types. They heal and restore skin, bones, cartilage, muscles, nerves and other tissues when injured.

As a result, amazing new medical treatments are being developed to treat a range of diseases contemporary medicine currently deems difficult or impossible to treat. Among them are:

While stem cells can be found in most tissues of the body, they are usually buried deep, are few in number and are similar in appearance to surrounding cells. With the discovery of stem cells in teeth, an accessible and available source of stem cells has been identified. The tooth is natures safe for these valuable stem cells, and there is an abundance of these cells in baby teeth, wisdom teeth and permanent teeth. The stem cells contained within teeth are capable of replicating themselves and can be readily recovered at the time of a planned dental procedure. Living stem cells found within extracted teeth were routinely discarded every day, but now, with the knowledge from recent medical research, Dr. Hershkin provides you the opportunity to save these cells for future use in developing medical treatments for your family.

Aside from being the most convenient stem cells to access, dental stem cells have significant medical benefits in the development of new medical therapies. Using ones own stem cells for medical treatment means a much lower risk of rejection by the body and decreases the need for powerful drugs that weaken the immune system, both of which are negative but typical realities that come into play when tissues or cells from a donor are used to treat patients.

Further, the stem cells from teeth have been observed in research studies to be among the most powerful stem cells in the human body. Stem cells from teeth replicate at a faster rate and for a longer period of time than do stem cells harvested from other tissues of the body.

Stem cells in the human body age over time and their regenerative abilities slow down later in life. The earlier in life that your familys stem cells are secured, the more valuable they will be when they are needed most.

Accessible The stem cells contained within teeth are recovered at the time of a planned procedure: Extraction of wisdom teeth, baby teeth or other healthy permanent teeth.

Affordable when compared with other methods of acquiring and preserving life saving stem cells: Peripheral blood, Bone Marrow, Cord blood etc, recovering Stem Cells from teeth is the most affordable and least invasive.

Convenience the recovery of stem cells from teeth can be performed in the doctors office anytime when a healthy tooth is being extracted.

Ease of Use The recovery of stem cells from teeth does not add any additional time on to a planned procedure.

Why should someone recover and cryopreserve their own stem cells from teeth?Healthy dental pulp contains stem cells that are among the most powerful stem cells in the body and replicate at a faster rate and for a longer period of time than other types of stem cells. Stem cells from teeth show great promise for future regenerative medical treatments of neuro-degenerative diseases, heart disease, diabetes, bone diseases and brain and nerve injuries.

Which teeth are candidates for stem cell recovery and cryopreservation?Any extracted tooth with a healthy pulp contains stem cells. Wisdom teeth, baby teeth and other permanent teeth i.e. healthy teeth that are fractured and teeth recommended for extraction for orthodontic purposes are all candidates for stem cell recovery and cryopreservation.

At what age am I no longer eligible to recover and preserve stem cells from teeth?Age does not seem to play a major factor. All extracted healthy teeth contain stem cells. The younger you are then the younger the cells and these may be more beneficial in future regenerative therapies.

Is one tooth enough or should I try to bank as many teeth as I can as the opportunities arise. I banked deciduous teeth, should I bank third molars?Diseases of different severity or tissue defects of different size will undoubtedly require different amounts of stem cells to heal. Conceptually, the more teeth are banked, the greater the potential for sufficient stem cells to treat various diseases.

Read the original post:
Stem Cells New York | Stem Cell Recovery | Oral Surgery

This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.

What is autism?

Autism is an array of disorders which are characterized by visible abnormalities in social interactions and communication. The common medical findings associated in children with the disorder are a chronic immunologically mediated inflammatory condition in the gut and reduced oxygenation in specific areas of the brain.

Current research aims at attempting to reverse the abnormalities through administration of anti-inflammatory agents, antibiotic and hyperbaric oxygen. However, none of these approaches address the underlying causes of the intestinal inflammation or oxygen deprivation.

It is thought that mesenchymal stem cells may help reverse inflammatory conditions and regulate the immune system. The umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells are administered intravenously by a licensed doctor.

Adult stem cells used to treat autism are harvested from human umbilical cord tissue also called allogenic mesenchymal. The human umbilical cords are donated by mothers after healthy and normal births. They are thoroughly screened and tested for bacteria and viruses.

They are idea for the treatment of autism because they allow for the administering of uniform doses and do not necessitate any stem cell harvesting from the patient, which can be quite concerning for the parents and terrifying for the autistic child. Because the stem cells are collected immediately after birth the umbilical cord-derived cells are much more effective than their counterparts such as bone marrow derived cells.

In addition the umbilical cord derived mesenchymal cells are not rejected by the patient because they do not recognize them as foreign. This is due to the fact that the HUCT stem cells are less mature than other cells. HUCT stem cells also differentiate/proliferate better that older cells and are therefore considered to be more potent.

A typical autism treatment protocol takes about 5 days and involves blood tests and physical examination. Intravenous infusions of the mesenchymal cells are then administered.

The cells are not rejected because the HUCT mesenchymal stem cells are immune system privileged and Human Leukocyte (HLA) matching is not required.

Screening and testing of the best stem cells can be conducted to ensure that the best immune modulating capacity, anti-inflammatory and regeneration stimulation cells are selected.

Administering of uniform dosages with high cell counts can be done with the allogenic stem cells.

The umbilical cord tissue provides a supply of mesenchymal stem cells in abundance.

There is no need to harvest stem cells from the patient under anesthesia which can be very unpleasant t the child.

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells are thought by researchers to be more robust than mesenchymal stem cells harvested from other sources.

Proper follow up after the procedure is necessary to ensure that the patient is progressing well.

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Stem Cell Therapy for Autism in Panama - Medical Tourism

In a first, scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have used light to coax stem cells to regrow parts of teeth.

The study, led by David Mooney, a Core Faculty member at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard, is the first to demonstrate the ability to use low-power light to trigger stem cells inside the body to regenerate tissue.

The researchers used a low-power laser to trigger human dental stem cells to form dentin, the hard tissue that is similar to bone and makes up the bulk of teeth ()

A number of biologically active molecules, such as regulatory proteins called growth factors, can trigger stem cells to differentiate into different cell types.

Current regeneration efforts require scientists to isolate stem cells from the body, manipulate them in a laboratory, and return them to the body efforts that face a host of regulatory and technical hurdles to their clinical translation ()

Lead author and dentist Praveen Arany, an Assistant Clinical Investigator at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), took rodents to the laboratory version of a dentists office to drill holes in their molars.

He treated the tooth pulp that contains adult dental stem cells with low-dose laser treatments, applied temporary caps, and kept the animals comfortable and healthy ()

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Dental stem cells to regrow and repair teeth

When the immune system functions properly, it protects the body against any invaders that might make you sick, such as bacteria, viruses or other pathogens. But in people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, the immune system goes into action even without these invaders. Instead, the immune system fights the bodys own tissues. In psoriatic disease, this battle is waged in the skin and joints.

Researchers who study psoriatic disease are still working to identify the substances inside the body that the immune response mistakes for antigens. One possibility could be certain kinds of bacteria. For example, in some cases, streptococcal infection (known as strep throat) can trigger a case of guttate psoriasis. Another possible antigen could be antimicrobial peptides, molecules that are a part of the immune system and work as the bodys own antibiotics. Research funded by the National Psoriasis Foundation found that a particular antimicrobial peptide can cause an autoimmune reaction in many people with moderate to severe psoriasis.

Inflammation is one of the weapons used by the immune system to fight an invader. For example, when you catch a virus or develop a bacterial infection, a type of immune cell called a T cell springs into action. When T cells recognize something as an invader also called an antigenT cells begin an inflammatory attack against the invader.

This attack is carried out by cytokines, which are proteins that help control the immune systems inflammatory response. Cytokines trigger inflammation, causing the blood vessels to expand and send more immune cells to different parts of the body. In psoriasis, this inflammation happens in the skin, leading to the red, itchy and scaly patches known as plaques. In psoriatic arthritis, this inflammation happens inside the body, leading to swollen and painful joints and tendons.

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National Psoriasis Foundation Immune System & Psoriasis

STEM CELL TECHNOLOGY

Advanced Regenerative Medicine is using breakthrough technology in order to provide relief from osteoarthritisspecifically in the knee, hip, and shoulder joints. But what is regenerative medicine, and how is it being used to help patients avoid invasive joint replacement surgeries?

Regenerative medicine is changing the game in terms of how the body repairs and heals itself. This is especially beneficial to our senior population, who frequently experience pain from osteoarthritis in the hip, knees, and shoulders.

What is regenerative medicine? This medical treatment method is changing the way that medical professionals get to the root cause of injury, disease, osteoarthritis, and more. It is focused on rejuvenating the bodys ability to heal itself naturallywhich eliminates the need for surgery.

Regeneration delivers specific types of cells to diseased tissues or organs. The end goal is to help the tissue restore itself and return to its original functioning capabilities. This is achieved by using stem cell therapy.

Stem cells are a critical key to regenerative medicine. These cells are able to develop into another type of cell in the body, which helps tissues and organs rebuild and repair themselves. The idea behind regenerative medicine from ARM is to help a patients body heal on its own, while reducing risks and inconveniences associated with traditional joint replacement.

Regenerative medicine can help patients regain full range of motion of hip, knee, and shoulder joints. Furthermore, they will experience substantially reduced levels of pain. This approach is minimally invasive and can be conducted on an outpatient basis.

ARM uses cutting-edge technology to extract adipose-derived stem cells from adipose tissue. This enables ARM to eliminate the use of foreign enzymes and chemicals, which makes the process safer.

If youre unsure if regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy is right for you, our helpful staff can help guide you through the process and make the best decision for your needs. To learn more about stem cell procedures and regenerative medicine, contact Advanced Regenerative Medicine today.

Dr. Mark R. LoDico, a pioneer in the field of pain medicine, believes that no one should have to live with the frustration of chronic pain. Board Certified in both Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, he founded Advanced Pain Medicine in 2001, uniquely committing the practice to finding specific, ongoing solutions to specific pain.

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What is Stem Cell Regenerative Medicine? | Advanced ...

Stem Cell Therapy For COPD is the most advanced and modern approach available for treatingChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), to address pulmonary conditions such as COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and interstitial lung disease.*

Furthermore, according to the COPD Foundation, many people mistake their increased breathlessness with aging, when really, it could be an early symptom of COPD. COPD can develop with little to no previous symptoms, so its important to talk to your doctor when these symptoms arise.

If you are looking for the ultimate relief from your COPD, and want to breathe easier, keep reading to learn more about your treatment options.

The COPD Foundation reports that an estimated 30 million individuals in the U.S. suffer from COPD. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Whats worse is that over half of the people that have symptoms do not know it. In Florida, 7.1 percent are affected by COPD, while Kentucky is the state with the highest COPD presence, with 9.3 percent.

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Stem Cell Therapy For COPD - NSI Stem Cell

How Often Is Medical Follow-up Needed After Initial Arthritis Treatment?

It should be noted that both before and especially after the diagnosis of arthritis, communication with the treating doctor is essential for optimal health. This is important from the standpoint of the doctor, so that he/she can be aware of the vagaries of the patient's symptoms as well as their tolerance to and acceptance of various treatment options. It is also important from the standpoint of patients, so that they can be assured that they have an understanding of the diagnosis and how the condition does and might affect them. It is also crucial for the safest use of medications.

Regular follow-up with the health care professional for monitoring can be essential for optimal results and is crucial when medications are taken. People with many forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can develop certain symptoms that are really warning signs of something occurring in their bodies that is not what the doctor expects to happen. These are signs that can also sometimes represent a significant danger. These "rheumatoid warning signs" are reasons to call the doctor so that they can be interpreted in light of the patient's overall condition. When the doctor who is aware of your condition hears of these symptoms, he/she can determine whether or not they are serious and if any action should be taken immediately or in the near future.

Rheumatoid warning signs can represent a worsening or complications of the rheumatoid disease, side effects of medications, or a new illness that is complicating the condition of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis should be aware of these rheumatoid warning signs so that they can contact their health care practitioner before their health is jeopardized.

Here are some warning signs that warrant contacting the doctor's office:

Worsening of joint symptoms: This includes more pain, more swelling, additional joint involvement, redness, stiffness, or limitation of function. The doctor will determine whether or not these are significant, not the patient. Sometimes, patients have just begun a medication and some minor increase in joint problems might be occurring while the medication is taking effect. However, worsening symptoms can also mean that the medications are not working and that they require adjustments in dosing or a change in the medications.

Lack of improvement of joint symptoms: One major purpose of seeing the doctor is to get better. The doctor knows this. If a patient with rheumatoid arthritis has seen the doctor and is started on a treatment program and is not showing improvement but is worsening, notification of the doctor is appropriate. After starting a new treatment program, it sometimes takes time for the medications, physical therapy, etc., to control the inflammation. It is up to the doctor to decide if things are on course.

Fever: A mildly elevated temperature is not unusual in a person with active inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis. However, a true fever (temperature is above 100.4 degrees F or 38 degrees C) is not expected and can represent an infection. People with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk for infection because of their disease and frequently because of their medications. Many of the medications used to treat rheumatoid disease suppress the immune system of the body that is responsible for defending against infectious microbes. Furthermore, these medications can increase the risk of a more serious infection when a bacterium or virus strikes. It is important for people with rheumatoid arthritis to notify the doctor as soon as a fever occurs so that infections are treated at the earliest time possible. This can minimize the chances for many serious complications of infections.

Numbness or tingling: When a joint swells, it can pinch the nerves of sensation that pass next to it. If the swelling irritates the nerve, either because of the inflammation or simply because of pressure, the nerve can send sensations of pain, numbness, and/or tingling to the brain. This is called nerve entrapment. Nerve entrapment most frequently occurs at the wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome) and elbow (ulnar nerve entrapment). It is important to have nerve entrapment treated early for best results. A rare form of nerve disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis that causes numbness and/or tingling is neuropathy. Neuropathy is nerve damage that in people with rheumatoid arthritis can result from inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis). Vasculitis is not common, but it is very dangerous. Therefore, it is important to notify the doctor if numbness and/or tingling occurs.

Rash: Rashes can occur for many reasons in anybody. However, in people with rheumatoid arthritis, the medications or, rarely, the disease itself can cause rashes. Medications used in the treatment of arthritis that commonly cause rashes as side effects include gold (Solganal, Myochrysine), methotrexate, leflunomide (Arava), and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil). A rare, and serious, complication of rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis), which can cause rash that most commonly appears in the finger tips, toes, or legs.

Eye redness: Redness of the eyes can represent an infection of the eyes, which is more common in people with rheumatoid arthritis because of dryness of the eyes (Sjgren's syndrome). Redness can also result from blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis), especially when pain is present.

Vision loss of red/green color distinction: A rare complication of the commonly used rheumatoid arthritis drug hydroxychloroquine is injury to the retina (the light-sensing portion of the back of the eye). The earliest sign of retinal changes from hydroxychloroquine is a decreased ability to distinguish between red and green colors. This occurs because the vision area of the retina that is first affected by the drug normally detects these colors. People who are taking hydroxychloroquine who lose red/green color distinction should stop the drug and contact their doctor.

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Arthritis Symptoms, Types, Causes, Definition & Diet

Adipose Derived Stem Cells:

Adipose derived stem cells are obtained from a sample of human abdominal fat tissue. The cells themselves are not fat. They are encased in and surrounded by fat tissue.Once the fat sample has been obtained, a special enzyme is used to melt-away the fat, and leave only something called SVF (short for Stromal Vascular Fraction), which contains stem cells, accessory cells and growth factors.

This SVF is washed and purified in the lab, and is then isolated for infusion or injection.

This method provides a much larger number of stem cells than bone marrow or peripheral blood, making it more efficient and highly effective in a variety of conditions, especially those that require creation of new blood vessels, and repairing tissues damaged due to lack of oxygenation.

Whartons Jelly Derived Stem cells:

Unlike Fat, Bone marrow or other tissues that can be harvested for stem cell isolation, Whartons Jelly does not contain SVF. It is a gelatinous substance found in the umbilical chord, which separates maternal and fetal tissues, acting as a kind of buffer so that these tissues dont come into direct contact with each other. This particular characteristic is the reason they became known as universal donor cells, since they are able to interact with any tissue, in any host, without causing any form of immune response.

Unlike cells obtained with SVF, stem cells in Whartons jelly are not found grouped with other cells types or blood products. They can be obtained in much larger numbers, and are already completely isolated, which means that you get stem cells exclusively.

The fact that they are obtained from umbilical chords, donated by pre-screened donors after their pregnancy has come to full-term, means that they are much easier to harvest, in much larger numbers, and without the need for a specific, invasive and painful procedure. It also means that because of the incredibly large number of cells that can be obtained, they can be cryo-preserved and stored at pre-determined dose sizes in individual containers for specific uses.

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Stem Cell Therapy in Mexico - Official Treatment Center

Started in New South Wales, Macquarie Stem Cells will expand all across Australia. We boast a team of medical professionals who are passionate about medicine and biology. We can combine both of these expert fields to improve your quality of life. Having successfully treated over 1000 patients using biological medical procedures, you can rely on us to keep your safety and well-being in mind.

Our aim is to provide a range of biological treatments in Sydney that alleviates any pain and discomfort you may experience on a day-to-day basis. As one of the leading biological treatment clinics around, Macquarie Stem Cells can help patients suffering from early stages of arthritis or even chronic osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis can be a very complex condition. It is not as black and white as repairing cartilage and expecting improvements in your pain levels. When patients suffer from osteoarthritis, the cartilage begins to thin and this leads to inflammation in your joints. As the inflammation continues your synovial fluid can become affected, as well as the surrounding structures of the joints such as the muscles, tendons, ligaments & blood vessels.

We have been working with many professionals and we understand the whole approach to treating and managing osteoarthritis. After you proceed with one of the range of treatments offered by us, you will need to rebuild lost strength and regain the flexibility of your joints once your arthritis pain improves.We will guide you through thisprocess.

Please learn more by clicking through to the osteoarthritis treatment page by Macquarie Stem Cells.

Nerve pain can occur for patients who suffer from osteoarthritis, it is actually quite common since your joints are full of nerves that become inflamed. Once inflamed the nerves may continue to generate pain signals by themselves and not be a sign of new damage in the joint. This is typically felt as pain at rest for example when you are in bed resting with no weight on the joint. Biological treatment options offered by Macquarie Stem Cells can repair the inflammation surrounding these nerve cells. In cases where the nerve cells have taken damage, this treatment can promote repairs and growth of new nerve cells. This allows thenerves to return to normal function and alleviate the neuropathic pain (nerve pain).

To understand more about nerve pain, please click through to this link.

As arthritis settles into your joints, the supporting structures become weaker, your muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage can go through the process of degeneration as well. It can be very common for you to suffer partial or complete tears from having degenerative osteoarthritis, not just sports or high impact sports injuries. We understand your body naturally looks to repair any form of damage, however in certain cases it may only be able to do so with scar tissue. Treatments by Macquarie Stem Cells may be able to repair that damage without creating scar tissue. For pre-existing tears where there may be existing scar tissue formation, one of the treatments by Macquarie Stem Cells can soften the scar tissue formation and allow for a better range of motion, whilst reducing the risk of a re-occurring tear adjacent to the existing tear.

To understand more about treatment that applies to tears, please click through to this link.

Its important to note we do not treat rheumatoid arthritis as a standalone issue. However, it is quite common for patients who suffer from osteoarthritis to also have rheumatoid arthritis as a comorbidity. In the past we have treated patients whom suffer from osteoarthritis as well as rheumatoid arthritis, and we have noticed patterns where the patients immune system is able to enter into a period of remission, also known as tolerogenesis.Once the immune system attack has settled, this treatmentwill target the inflamed arthritic joints and start repairs in these areas, thus providing improvements to your pain levels as well as function of the joint.At Macquarie Stem Cells, we have observed the CRP and RF levels of these patients blood test results and we have been able to confirm positive changes to inflammation and immune activity within your body.

Macquarie Stem Cells has provided the information above so consumers can understand the services we provide. We dont aim to encourage consumers to seek out such treatments prior to an assessment by a health professional to determine your suitability for treatment. We aim to provide you with an unbiased range of treatments that are available aside from biological therapy, this is discussedin supporting information>other-options page on our website.

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Macquarie Stem Cells Treatment - Sydney, Melbourne, Perth ...

The immune system, which is made up of special cells, proteins, tissues, and organs, defends people against germs and microorganisms every day. In most cases, the immune system does a great job of keeping people healthy and preventing infections. But sometimes problems with the immune system can lead to illness and infection.

The immune system is the body's defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. Through a series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and substances that invade body systems and cause disease.

The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body. One of the important cells involved are white blood cells, also called leukocytes, which come in two basic types that combine to seek out and destroy disease-causing organisms or substances.

Leukocytes are produced or stored in many locations in the body, including the thymus, spleen, and bone marrow. For this reason, they're called the lymphoid organs. There are also clumps of lymphoid tissue throughout the body, primarily as lymph nodes, that house the leukocytes.

The leukocytes circulate through the body between the organs and nodes via lymphatic vessels and blood vessels. In this way, the immune system works in a coordinated manner to monitor the body for germs or substances that might cause problems.

The two basic types of leukocytes are:

A number of different cells are considered phagocytes. The most common type is the neutrophil, whichprimarily fights bacteria. If doctors are worried about a bacterial infection, they might order a blood test to see if a patient has an increased number of neutrophils triggered by the infection. Other types of phagocytes have their own jobs to make sure that the body responds appropriately to a specific type of invader.

The two kinds of lymphocytes are B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes. Lymphocytes start out in the bone marrow and either stay there and mature into B cells, or they leave for the thymus gland, where they mature into T cells. B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes have separate functions: B lymphocytes are like the body's military intelligence system, seeking out their targets and sending defenses to lock onto them. T cells are like the soldiers, destroying the invaders that the intelligence system has identified.

When antigens (foreign substances that invade the body) are detected, several types of cells work together to recognize themand respond. These cells trigger the B lymphocytes to produce antibodies, which are specialized proteins that lock onto specific antigens.

Once produced, these antibodies stay in a person's body, so that if his or herimmune system encounters that antigen again, the antibodies are already there to do their job. So if someone gets sick with a certain disease, like chickenpox, that person usually won't get sick from it again.

This is also how immunizations prevent certain diseases. An immunization introduces the body to an antigen in a way that doesn't make someone sick, but does allow the body to produce antibodies that will then protect the person from future attack by the germ or substance that produces that particular disease.

Although antibodies can recognize an antigen and lock onto it, they are not capable of destroying it without help. That's the job of the T cells, which are part of the system that destroys antigens that have been tagged by antibodies or cells that have been infected or somehow changed. (Some T cells are actually called "killer cells.") T cells also are involved in helping signal other cells (like phagocytes) to do their jobs.

Antibodies also can neutralize toxins (poisonous or damaging substances) produced by different organisms. Lastly, antibodies can activate a group of proteins called complement that are also part of the immune system. Complement assists in killing bacteria, viruses, or infected cells.

All of these specialized cells and parts of the immune system offer the body protection against disease. This protection is called immunity.

Humans have three types of immunity innate, adaptive, and passive:

Everyone is born with innate (or natural) immunity, a type of general protection. Many of the germs that affect other species don't harm us. For example, the viruses that cause leukemia in cats or distemper in dogs don't affect humans. Innate immunity works both ways because some viruses that make humans ill such as the virus that causes HIV/AIDS don't make cats or dogs sick.

Innate immunity also includes the external barriers of the body, like the skin and mucous membranes (like those that line the nose, throat, and gastrointestinal tract), which are the first line of defense in preventing diseases from entering the body. If this outer defensive wall is broken (as througha cut), the skin attempts to heal the break quickly and special immune cells on the skin attack invading germs.

The second kind of protection is adaptive (or active) immunity, which develops throughout our lives. Adaptive immunity involves the lymphocytes and develops as people are exposed to diseases or immunized against diseases through vaccination.

Passive immunity is "borrowed" from another source and it lasts for a short time. For example, antibodies in a mother's breast milk give a baby temporary immunity to diseases the mother has been exposed to. This can help protect the baby against infection during the early years of childhood.

Everyone's immune system is different. Some people never seem to get infections, whereas others seem to be sick all the time. As people get older, they usually become immune to more germs as the immune system comes into contact with more and more of them. That's why adults and teens tend to get fewer colds than kids their bodies have learned to recognize and immediately attack many of the viruses that cause colds.

Disorders of the immune system fall intofour main categories:

Immunodeficiencies happen when a part of the immune system is missing or not working properly. Some people areborn with an immunodeficiency (known asprimary immunodeficiencies), although symptoms of the disorder might not appear until later in life. Immunodeficiencies also can be acquired through infection or produced by drugs (these are sometimes called secondary immunodeficiencies).

Immunodeficiencies can affect B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, or phagocytes. Examples of primary immunodeficiencies that can affect kids and teens are:

Acquired (or secondary) immunodeficiencies usually develop after someone has a disease, although they can also be the result of malnutrition, burns, or other medical problems. Certain medicines also can cause problems with the functioning of the immune system.

Acquired (secondary) immunodeficiencies include:

In autoimmune disorders, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's healthy organs and tissues as though they were foreign invaders. Autoimmune diseases include:

Allergic disorders happen when the immune system overreacts to exposure to antigens in the environment. The substances that provoke such attacks are called allergens. The immune response can cause symptoms such as swelling, watery eyes, and sneezing, and even a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Medicines called antihistamines can relieve most symptoms.

Allergic disorders include:

Cancer happens when cells grow out of control. This can includecells of the immune system. Leukemia, which involves abnormal overgrowth of leukocytes, is the most common childhood cancer. Lymphoma involves the lymphoid tissues and is also one of the more common childhood cancers. With current treatments, most cases of both types of cancer in kids and teens are curable.

Although immune system disorders usually can't be prevented, you can help your child's immune system stay stronger and fight illnesses by staying informed about your child's condition and working closely with your doctor.

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Immune System - KidsHealth - the Web's most visited site ...

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The immune system: Cells, tissues, function, and disease

An article published on January 5, 2017, by the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), an American news channel, confirms that Costa Rica is one of the four countries with the best health care in the World. The article was originally published by International Living, a worldwide program created to share experiences, languages, and customs with those from different countries, with the goals of broadening horizons and advancing peace.

The Stem Cells Transplant Institute located in Escaz, Costa Rica, offers state-of-the-art technologies in stem cell medicine. We have the best equipment, knowledgeable experts, and one of the best health care systems in the world, for you to receive your stem cell procedure.

Lets take a look at some important points that the media highlighted about Costa Ricas heath care system (check it athttp://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/05/4-countries-with-the-best-health-care-in-the-world-2017-commentary.html)

More than 40,000 Americans travel each year to Costa Rica to seekmedical and dental treatmentbecause of the outstanding reputation of Costa Rica. These medical tourists have discovered that this little Central American country has high quality healthcare available at a very low cost compared with their home country. Medical tourism is increasing each year as more and more patients learn about the advantages of coming to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica provides two medical systems and expats are allowed access to both. The first system is the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social. This is universal healthcare, provided and managed by the government. Its available both to citizens and legal residents. As a member of the Caja, you pay a monthly a fee based on your income. After you pay your monthly fee, all the health care is covered and there are no exclusions for age or pre-existing conditions. The system has an emphasis on preventative care. There are ten major public hospitals four in San Jose, including the Childrens Hospital affiliated with the Caja. For non-emergencies and everyday medical care, the Caja has small clinics, known as EBAIS, located in almost every community.

There is also an extensive private medical system in Costa Rica, with doctors, clinics, and hospitals throughout the entire country. You can pay cash to see private providers, but the cost is still a tiny fraction compared to equivalent care in the United States. A general doctor visit will cost about $50 and a specialist doctor visit will range from $80 to $100. Exams like ultrasound and x-rays, will cost about $75. Even major surgeries are cheap comparatively, running half to a quarter of the cost compared the U.S. Due to Costa Ricas medical reputation, very low costs, and beautiful surroundings, the country is rapidly becoming a prime destination for medical tourism.

You can also use insurance, either international policies or those provided by Costa Rican companies. Most private hospitals have international patient departments to help you arrange financial matters. Stem Cell treatments are no exception.

Costa Rica provides a great opportunity to get your stem cell treatment at a very reasonable price when compared with the United States. The Stem Cells Transplant Institute in Costa Rica, provides legally approved stem cell therapies. Costa Ricas health care system ranks higher than the United States, making Costa Rica one of your best options for stem cell treatment. You can feel safe and confident receiving medical treatment in one the best health services in the World.

At the Stem Cells Transplant Institute, we specialize in the use of autologous stem cells obtained from your own bone marrow and adipose tissue to treat a broad range of diseases. Dont hesitate to contact us to get more information about your specific condition. Stem Cells are positively impacting many peoples lives. You can be the next! Do it in the right place.

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Costa Rica Best Health Care, Stem Cell Treatments, Medical ...

Preventive medicine focuses on ways to prevent disease and illness before they develop in the patients body. Researchers separate preventive measures into four quadrants: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary preventive health care. Johns Creek Dermatology and Family Medicine offers in demand preventive health care strategies to assist patients in the use of tools and strategies that promote health and wellness.

Examples of preventive medicine types include:

Lets say a patient in a family-focused practice learns he is at risk for the development of type two, adult-onset diabetes. Diabetes is frequently characterized by higher than normal blood sugar levels. Higher than normal blood sugar levels are identified during a routine blood screening. The doctor explains that, if left untreated, the individual is likely to develop diabetes in a period of time.

The physician outlines a series of steps to help the patient prevent or avoid diabetes complications (or development of the disease). These steps include primary, secondary, and tertiary measures:

Johns Creek Dermatology and Family Medicine offers family-based primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary preventive care for the entire family unit.

Primary and secondary preventive measures strategically avoid or slow the onset of disease. Much needed primary and/or secondary prevention occurs via the delivery of patient care in the doctors office or hospital.

Primary prevention helps the physician prevent the development of chronic disease, injury, or infection by managing risk factors know to lead to the development of these diseases or conditions. Primary prevention includes regular vaccination throughout life; use of condoms if sexually active; and receiving behavioral counseling needed to stop smoking or drinking alcohol; and nutritional and activity counseling needed to create a healthy lifestyle.

Primary prevention uses data collected from a large universe of patients, such as all men or all adults. The preventive care physician uses recommended measures to prevent disease.

Secondary prevention helps to reduce a known health issue or problem. Examples of this level of prevention include the treatment of known high blood pressure or LDL cholesterol; sexually transmitted diseases (STD) treatment; or prescription and use of medications needed to help the patient stop smoking.

Primary prevention can help all people to cut their risks of serious health problems and is considered the wisest use of health dollars by the medical community. Secondary prevention, however, can mean the difference between recovering good health or managing a lifelong chronic illness. For these reasons, most health insurance companies recognize the importance of patients desire to maintain and enjoy good health by avoiding disease. Since patients are also empowered to take control of their own health care in this model, most people benefit from a family-focused practice that prioritizes health education and screening tools.

Primary and secondary preventive care improve the health and life quality of patients. These considerations of preventive measures extend from the home into schools, communities, and employer workplaces. The need for more health education and nutrition information is demanded by patients because most people are aware that lost personal productivity, treatment costs, and death are the end result of disease and illness.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), studies show that preventive care, including hand-washing, healthy diet, exercise, and vaccinations against disease work collectively to extend the patients life span. A focus on preventive care and wellness helps the patient avoid serious illnesses and resulting expensive medical treatments. Most insurance companies agree that preventive medicine is likely to decrease the patients medical care costs over the long-term. For this reason, many health insurance companies pay for breast pumps for nursing mothers, pay for men and womens gym memberships, or other recommended preventive care strategies for the patient.

Preventive care is a sensible, practical course for most patients. Johns Creek Dermatology and Family Medicine uses this proven model to maintain and improve each member of the familys health. Patients in North Atlanta, Alpharetta, Suwanee, Duluth, Dawsonville, Johnscreek, Gwinett County, South Forsyth County, and North Fulton County should contact Dr. Zack Charwaki about patient-focused preventive care at 770-771-6591 to arrange an appointment today.

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Preventive Medicine | Atlanta | Johns Creek Family Medicine

BiotechnologyBiotechnologyJames Watson and the late Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA in 1953; Watson has spoken in favour of genetic engineering

Biotechnology isn't something new - selective breeding to create more useful varieties of animals and plants is a form of biotechnology that human beings have used for thousands of years.

Biotechnology includes any use of science or technology to alter the characteristics of a particular breed or animal.

Biotechnology can be good or bad for animals - and it may also produce an answer to the ethical problems of experimenting on animals.

Transgenic animals raise a particularly difficult problem.

Newspaper articles about the ethical problems of genetically engineered animals are usually concerned about the danger these animals may pose to human beings (usually to human health), rather than any implications for the animals themselves.

Genetic engineering and selective breeding appear to violate animal rights, because they involve manipulating animals for human ends as if the animals were nothing more than human property, rather than treating the animals as being of value in themselves.

Recent action to allow animals to be patented reinforces the idea of animals as human property, rather than beings in their own right.

Biotechnology can be good for animals. Selective breeding and genetic engineering can benefit animals in many ways:

But biotechnology can also be bad for animals - the good effects for the breeder can offset by painful side-effects for the animals:

Profitability is one of the major drivers of both selective breeding and genetic engineering.

If animal welfare is not to be compromised, research must be restricted by a counter-balancing ethical principle that prevents altering animals in a way that was bad for the animal.

One writer, Bernard Rollin, suggests that a suitable rule to regulate genetic engineering would be this:

This principle can easily be adapted to cover selective breeding.

It's been suggested that genetic engineering may solve all the ethical problems of laboratory experiments on animals.The goal is to create a genetically engineered mammal that lacks sentience, but is otherwise identical to normal experimental animals.

Such an animal could not suffer whatever was done to it, so there should be no ethical difficulty in performing experiments on it.

Ethical problems:

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BBC - Ethics - Animal ethics: Biotechnology

Articles OnType 2 Diabetes - Type 2 Diabetes: The Basics Type 2 Diabetes - Type 2 Diabetes: The Basics Type 2 Diabetes - Type 2 Diabetes: The Basics

Diabetes is a life-long disease that affects the way your body handles glucose, a kind of sugar, in your blood.

Most people with the condition have type 2. There are about 27 million people in the U.S. with it. Another 86 million have prediabetes: Their blood glucose is not normal, but not high enough to be diabetes yet.

Your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. It's what lets your cells turn glucose from the food you eat into energy. People with type 2 diabetes make insulin, but their cells don't use it as well as they should. Doctors call this insulin resistance.

At first, the pancreas makes more insulin to try to get glucose into the cells. But eventually it can't keep up, and the sugar builds up in your blood instead.

Usually a combination of things cause type 2 diabetes, including:

Genes. Scientists have found different bits of DNA that affect how your body makes insulin.

Extra weight. Being overweight or obese can cause insulin resistance, especially if you carry your extra pounds around the middle. Now type 2 diabetes affects kids and teens as well as adults, mainly because of childhood obesity.

Metabolic syndrome. People with insulin resistance often have a group of conditions including high blood glucose, extra fat around the waist, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and triglycerides.

Too much glucose from your liver. When your blood sugar is low, your liver makes and sends out glucose. After you eat, your blood sugar goes up, and usually the liver will slow down and store its glucose for later. But some people's livers don't. They keep cranking out sugar.

Bad communication between cells. Sometimes cells send the wrong signals or don't pick up messages correctly. When these problems affect how your cells make and use insulin or glucose, a chain reaction can lead to diabetes.

Broken beta cells. If the cells that make the insulin send out the wrong amount of insulin at the wrong time, your blood sugar gets thrown off. High blood glucose can damage these cells, too.

While certain things make getting diabetes more likely, they won't give you the disease. But the more that apply to you, the higher your chances of getting it are.

Some things you can't control.

Some things are related to your health and medical history. Your doctor may be able to help.

Other risk factors have to do with your daily habits and lifestyle. These are the ones you can really do something about.

Because you can't change what happened in the past, focus on what you can do now and going forward. Take medications and follow your doctor's suggestions to be healthy. Simple changes at home can make a big difference, too.

Lose weight. Dropping just 7% to 10% of your weight can cut your risk of type 2 diabetes in half.

Get active. Moving muscles use insulin. Thirty minutes of brisk walking a day will cut your risk by almost a third.

Eat right. Avoid highly processed carbs, sugary drinks, and trans and saturated fats. Limit red and processed meats.

Quit smoking. Work with your doctor to avoid gaining weight, so you don't create one problem by solving another.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be so mild you don't notice them. In fact, about 8 million people who have it don't know it.

Your doctor can test your blood for signs of diabetes. Usually doctors will test you on two different days to confirm the diagnosis. But if your blood glucose is very high or you have a lot of symptoms, one test may be all you need.

A1C: It's like an average of your blood glucose over the past 2 or 3 months.

Fasting plasma glucose: This measures your blood sugar on an empty stomach. You won't be able to eat or drink anything except water for 8 hours before the test.

Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): This checks your blood glucose before and 2 hours after you drink a sweet drink to see how your body handles the sugar.

Over time, high blood sugar can damage and cause problems with your:

The best way to avoid these complications is to manage your diabetes well.

SOURCES:

American Diabetes Association: "Statistics About Diabetes," "Type 1 Diabetes," "Type 2," "Diagnosing Diabetes and Learning About Prediabetes."

U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Diabetes in Children and Teens."

Cleveland Clinic: "Diabetes Learning Module," "Preventing Diabetes Complications."

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "Causes of Diabetes."

International Diabetes Federation: "Prevention," "Complications of Diabetes."

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: "Simple Steps to Preventing Diabetes."

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: "Am I at risk for type 2 diabetes?"

Joslin Diabetes Center: "Common Questions About Type 2 Diabetes."

Carolinas HealthCare System: "Yeast Infections and Diabetes: What You Should Know."

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Type 2 Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Prevention

[Read by Sandy Rustin]

Cameron Diaz follows up her #1 New York Times bestseller, The Body Book, with a personal, practical, and authoritative guide that examines the art and science of growing older and offers concrete steps women can take to create abundant health and resilience as they age.

Cameron Diaz wrote The Body Book to help educate young women about how their bodies function, empowering them to make better-informed choices about their health and encouraging them to look beyond the latest health trends to understand their bodies at the cellular level. She interviewed doctors, scientists, nutritionists, and a host of other experts, and shared what she'd learned -- and what she wished she'd known twenty years earlier.

Now Cameron continues the journey she began, opening a conversation with her peers on an essential topic that that for too long has been taboo in our society: the aging female body. In The Longevity Book, she shares the latest scientific research on how and why we age, synthesizing insights from top medical experts and with her own thoughts, opinions, and experiences.

The Longevity Book explores what history, biology, neuroscience, and the women's health movement can teach us about maintaining optimal health as we transition from our thirties to midlife. From understanding how growing older impacts various bodily systems to the biological differences in the way aging effects men and women; the latest science on telomeres and slowing the rate of cognitive decline to how meditation heals us and why love, friendship, and laughter matter for health, The Longevity Book offers an all-encompassing, holistic look at how the female body ages -- and what we can all do to age better.

Without sugarcoating the hard facts -- a sixty-year-old body is different than a thirty-five-year-old body, no matter how much yoga you do -- or romanticizing the upside -- wisdom comes with age, if you live your life wisely -- Cameron offers women a compassionate, informative, and intimate tour through the next stage of life.

See the rest here:
The Longevity Book: The Science of Aging, the Biology of ...

Just as every person is unique, so is every cancer. At the Knight Cancer Institute, were dedicated to finding what makes each cancer unique and providing individually tailored and targeted treatments.

Our pioneering work in personalized medicine ultimately led to the discovery of one of the worlds first targeted cancer drugs, Gleevec, by Dr. Brian Druker at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Gleevec truly revolutionized the way cancer is treated and works by zeroing in and eliminating specific cancer-causing cells, while avoiding serious damage to other non-cancerous ones. This major turning point in the treatment of cancer has led us to expand our focus on delivering personalized care by recruiting the very best and most experienced clinicians and researchers from across the country. But we wont stop there! Through our efforts in cancer research, diagnostics, drug development and treatments, we continue to lead the way in the field of personalized care.

Dr. Druker has stated that Our goal going forward is to advance science so that someday there will be a targeted therapy to shut down every form of cancer. At the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, each of us believes in a world without cancer and has a mission to end this disease in our lifetime.

Asleadersinthefieldofpersonalizedmedicine,weare investing in:

At the Knight Cancer Institute our physicians, pathologists, researchers and other member of the team work together to bring each patient the best personalized care available. For us it truly is:

See more here:
Personalized Cancer Medicine | Knight Cancer Institute | OHSU

We create interactive lessons for high school and college educators to engage their students in discussions of ethics and personal genetics. The lessons are relevant to multiple subjects, including biology, health, social studies, law, physical education and psychology. All of our lesson plans contain background reading for teachers and students, a selection of classroom activities, discussion points, in some cases a slide presentation or video clip, and an evaluation. Each lesson can stand alone, or all the lessons can be taught as a unit.

**Updatedfor 2016**

Summary:This lesson introduces students to the recent advances in genetics, genetic testing and personal genome sequencing, and presents some of the decisions and ethical challenges an individual may face regarding the use of this technology. It also highlights some of the likely benefits of personal genetics, such as gaining the ability to act on ones genetic risks, tailoring medicines and interventions, and becoming more active and engaged healthcare consumers.

Activities:Do now exercise (7 minutes), slideshow (15-20 minutes), four corners discussion (15-25 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFDownload slideshow: PowerPoint slidesTake a quiz: Genetics gets personal

**Updatedfor 2018**

Summary:This lesson provides students the opportunity to explore the excitement and challenges related to the direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing industry. How do consumers react to genetic information gleaned from DTC services? What information can be learned through a DTC test, and do consumers need or want a doctor or genetic counselor to access this information?

Activities:Do now exercise (10 minutes), Panel of experts debate (65-70 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFClick here to learn about recent developments.

**Updatedfor 2018**

Summary:Personalized medicine, also referred to as precision medicine, holds great promise to improve healthcare. As the cost of genetic analysis decreases and research advances, it is becoming increasingly possible to include a persons genetic make-up in the repertoire of tools that inform their healthcare. This lesson asks students to delve into the hopes and challenges of personalized medicine and to consider the applications of genetic analysis in medicine.

Activities:Do now exercise (10-15 minutes), creating a brochure (40-60 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFClick here to learn about recent developments.

Photo courtesy of Office of Congresswoman Louise Slaughter

Summary:The lesson explores the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), called the first civil rights legislation of the 21st century by former Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy.Learning about the history of genetic discrimination in the workplace, along with the progress being made to ensure workers do not have information about their DNA used inappropriately, is key to seeing the potential of personal genetics come to fruition.

Activities:Do now exercise (7 minutes), jigsaw (45 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFTake a quiz: Avoiding genetic discriminationClick here to learn about recent developments.

**Updatedfor 2016**

Photo by Mark Engebretson, University of Minnesota

Summary:This lesson addresses the genetic reproductive technologies that are being used by individuals who, for a variety of reasons, wish to know and/or have some choice about the genetic makeup of their children. It begins with a discussion of the technologies that can reveal the genetic makeup of fetuses and then moves on to a technology called preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). The goal of this lesson is to give students an opportunity to discuss many aspects of PGD such that they become aware of the diversity of opinions surrounding PGD.

Activities:Do now exercise (5-7 minutes), slideshow (15-20 minutes), scenarios (20-45 minutes), fishbowl discussion (20-30 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFDownload slideshow: PowerPoint slidesTake a quiz: Non-invasive prenatal testingClick here to learn about recent developments.

**Newfor 2017**

Photo by National Academy of Sciences

Summary:Recently developed techniques to easily modify DNA, known as genome editing, are bringing many new possibilities as well as dilemmas to the forefront of medicine, ethics, religion and society at large. One technique in particular, known as CRISPR, has generated the most excitement due to its efficiency and ease of use. This lesson introduces students to the basic scientific concepts of genome editing, its potential for improving human health, as well as some of the ethical discussions surrounding the development and applications of the technique.

Activities:Do now exercise (5-7 minutes), slideshow (30-40 minutes), scenarios(25-35 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentor PDFDownload slideshow: PowerPoint slidesTake a quiz: Genome editing and CRISPRClick here to learn about recent developments.

**Updatedfor 2016**

Summary:Genetic testing is increasingly playing a role in sports. As the genetic basis for many health conditions is revealed, some doctors, coaches, and academic and athletic organizations are wondering whether genetic analysis can provide health and safety benefits for athletes. Can genetics help minimize the risk of injury? In addition, as scientists uncover numerous genes linked to athletic performance, questions have emerged about whether genetics might play a role in guiding young people toward the sport in which they are likely to have the most success. In this lesson, students are asked to consider how their own genetic information might influence their athletic path.

Activities:Do now exercise (7 minutes), pair-share exercise (10 minutes), slideshow (20-30 minutes), scenarios (30-35 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFDownload slideshow: PowerPoint slidesDownload science supplement: Word documentorPDFClick here to learn about recent developments.

**Updatedfor 2016**

Summary:As the genetic basis for many health conditions is revealed, some doctors, coaches, and academic and athletic organizations are wondering whether genetic analysis can provide health and safety benefits for athletes. As of 2013, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the governing body of college sports in the United States, began screening all of its athletes for the genetic condition sickle cell trait (SCT). This lesson explores the discussion surrounding this policy and asks students to examine how genetics might impact their own athletic choices and options.

Activities:Reading and notes (15 minutes), proposal (30-50 minutes), presentations and group discussion (15-20 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFTake a quiz: Sickle cell traitClick here to learn about recent developments.

**Updatedfor 2016**

Summary:The collection and analysis of DNA is an important tool in law enforcement. This lesson explores the challenge of establishing ethical and legal frameworks in a timely manner to guide the use of newly developed technologies. A key question that is woven through this lesson is how we as a society can use genetics to keep people safe, solve crimes and, at the same time, develop policies that provide appropriate safeguards and privacy protections.

Activities:Do now exercise (5-7 minutes), slideshow (20 minutes), video clip (15 minutes), discussion (10 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFDownload slideshow: PowerPoint slidesClick here to learn about recent developments.

Complementary lesson: Check out the lesson Short Tandem RepeatsAnd Murder! which explores the science behindforensic DNA analysis (from our colleagues at The American Society of Human Genetics).

**Updatedfor 2016**

Summary:This lesson provides students with a historical overview of the American eugenics movement and highlights some of the advances and breakthroughs that have been achieved through genetic and genomic research. Many people fear that new advances in genetics, particularly embryo screening and analysis of fetal DNA, could lead to a new era of eugenics. The goal of this lesson is for students to start discussing these topics so that they can understand the complexity of the issues and engage in conversations that contrast the dangers of eugenics with the benefits that can come from genetic information.

Activities:Slideshow (40 minutes), discussion (15-20 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFDownload slideshow: PowerPoint slides

**Updatedfor 2016**

Vermont Eugenics: A Documentary History

Summary:This lesson uses primary source documents to explore issues of race, gender and class in the 20th century. It is intended to extend the ideas explored in History, eugenics and genetics. The goal of this lesson is for students to use original sources to understand how the eugenics movement used propaganda to enter mainstream America to promote its agenda, and use critical thinking skills to analyze and interpret the sources.

Activities:Document analysis and worksheet (20-30 minutes), discussion (20-30 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFDownload slideshow: PowerPoint slides

Summary:Questions about whether genetics can, in part, explain violent, aggressive behavior in humans are not new. Recent episodes of large-scale violence, whether in schools or other public places, have renewed discussion about the intersection of crime, mental health and genetics. In this lesson, students are asked to examine popular but incorrect ideas related to the idea that a single gene or even set of genes can cause humans to behave aggressively.

Activities:Video clip (15 minutes), class discussion (20 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFDownload slideshow: PowerPoint slidesClick here to learn about recent developments.

Summary:This lesson introduces students to scientific concepts in genetics that have broad implications for individuals and for society. Students will be asked to consider the role of DNA in our personal and cultural identities as well as our understanding of diversity. They will come away with a perspective that the benefits of personal genetics can only come to light when we understand the potential and the concerns.

Activities:Slideshow (30-40 minutes).

Download lesson plan: Word documentorPDFDownload slideshow: PowerPoint slidesClick here to learn about recent developments.

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Lesson Plans pgEd