Stem cell research is not just a nice idea, but one that is branching out in all directions, much like the stem cells themselves. Looking just at the latest headlines, researchers have promising leads on treatments based on stem cells for:
- Hair loss
- Infertility
- Joint injuries (a treatment that is already working in race horses)
- Age-related macular degeneration and corneal scarring, two causes of diminished eyesight
- Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes
- Broken bones in adults
- Breast cancer
- Heart attack
What researchers are learning is that stem cells are more flexible than scientists had previously thought and that various body tissues are already programmed to make use of stem cells when they are available. The result is that some of the treatments being studied are simpler than had been expected. The most encouraging thing, though, is that these discoveries are occurring everywhere, in several countries and in various kinds of laboratories. What is more, researchers are finding different results by studying different kinds of stem cells. All this suggests that this is an area of research in which there is a great deal more to be discovered.
