Spinal Cord Injury Research Paper

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Spinal Cord Injury: Can Stem Cells Fix the Problem? Imagine being in an accident so bad that it damages the spinal cord. Now think about all of the things that you would not be able to do. There are people everyday that suffer from Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Whether they have been dealing with it long after the incident, or after just one second. No matter the situation, their lives are changed drastically. SCI is a serious issue that there is not a cure for. There is no magic wand that a person can wave and a patient can magically get better. However, there has been a discovery in medicine, that helps bring back partial motor functions and a better way of life. There are several different types of stem cells and stem cell therapies …show more content…
Some of the therapies that will be discussed include Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy, Human Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy, and Olfactory Ensheathing Cell Therapy. Mesenchymal stem cells are a type of multipotent adult progenitor cells that can be divided into several types of mesodermal tissues including bone, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels. When these were used in clinical trials, they were theorized to give protection to and help growth of the cells in the area of the injured spinal cord. Mesenchymal stem cells, also known as stromal cells, were very popular in the research to find treatment for spinal cord injury …show more content…
Olfactory Ensheathing Cells are unique because they have the same characteristics of Schwann cells, astrocytes and ensheathing olfactory neurons throughout their cycle. When they are transplanted, Olfactory Ensheathing Cells may overcome the inhibition of neurite growth in the central nervous system. Therefore, these cells can be used as an alternative to stem cells for transplantation. They are like a bridge because corticospinal axons can advance distal to the injury with the purpose of reinstating some motor service. Transplantations have only been performed on animals because it is too early to assess the results of these interventions. Future strategies for human spinal cord repair will be determined soon in the terms of this type of stem cell
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