Source: International Stem Cell Research

According to Sohu.com, Hawking made a documentary about stem cells with Discovery in 2014, in which he mentioned that "he has spent his whole life exploring the secrets of the universe, but he is interested in another universe, that is, the cells in our bodies." We look up at the sky and wonder about our place in the universe; Stem cell scientists look deep into the human body and wonder what it would take for the whole human race to evolve. His life is different from ordinary people, in his twenties, he no longer has to deal with those who are healthy. Stem cells may allow you to have the same freedom, to not pursue endless dreams of physical bondage."

What are stem cells?

Cells are the basic structural and functional units of the human body, and the human body is made up of countless cells. With the increase of age, most of the terminally differentiated cells in the body will lose the ability to divide again due to high differentiation, thus gradually aging and even death, while the body gradually enters the twilight.

However, the body also retains a part of undifferentiated primitive cells, that is, stem cells, which are also called "universal cells" and "origin cells". Stem cells are a kind of non-specific cells with self-replicating ability and multi-directional differentiation potential in ontogeny, and are also the progenitor cells forming various tissues and organs of the human body. There are many types of stem cells. The fertilized egg, which develops into a complete individual, is also a type of stem cell.

What is the use of stem cell supplements?

01Repairing tissues and organs, treating chronic diseases

If the body is compared to a house, the tissues and organs that constitute the human body are similar to structures such as steel brick walls, which jointly maintain the normal operation of the body. However, some clinical diseases that still lack effective treatment means, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, liver fibrosis, diabetes, stroke, ankylosing spondylitis, etc., are currently mainly symptomatic treatment, can not fundamentally solve the problem, only on the surface of the "repair", in the long run will harm health.

With the continuous development of stem cell therapy in recent years, researchers hope to use stem cells to repair damaged tissues and organs, so as to achieve the purpose of treating systemic diseases from the root. The reason why stem cells can play a curative role is mainly due to the homing effect. Stem cell homing refers to the ability of circulating stem cells or exogenously applied stem cells to locate and enter the environmental ecological niche. Stem cells seem to have their own "GPS" attribute, and after being imported into the human body, they can spontaneously migrate to the injured site and repair the damaged cells in time, which can be said to "hit where you are".

At present, stem cell therapy is mainly used to treat blood system, nervous system, urinary system, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular, liver and other diseases. According to the British "BBC NEWS" reported in 2013, the research team of Kyoto University in Japan successfully cultured human kidney tissue with stem cells, the method aims to help scientists better understand the formation of mesoderm, and the future may provide a source of seed cells for regenerative medicine, thus benefiting millions of patients whose kidneys are damaged and can only rely on dialysis to continue life.

02Anti-aging

Studies have shown that aging may be related to DNA damage, oxidative stress, changes in gene and non-coding RNA expression, telomere loss and genotoxicity, and other factors, mainly manifested as decreased physical function, slow response, memory decline, weakened exercise ability, thinning hair and whitening, skin wrinkles, age spots, etc.

The cell is the basic unit of the structure and function of the organism, and the continuous decline of the cell is also the structural basis of the aging of the body and tissues and organs. With the increase of age, if the process of cell decline is greater than the ability to grow, the body will appear aging; However, if the cell regeneration ability is strong, in theory, it will delay or even block the process of tissue aging, and stem cells have the potential of self-renewal and multi-directional differentiation, which can differentiate into new cells under specific conditions, so as to maintain the dynamic balance of growth and decline of tissues and organs, and ultimately achieve the purpose of anti-aging from the root.

At present, fat stem cells have been preliminarily applied to anti-aging and have obtained a definite effect. In addition, embryonic stem cells, bone marrow and gestational tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells, etc. have also been proved to have anti-aging effects in the experimental stage.

03Regulate immunity and endocrine

There is a "neuro-endocrine immune network" in the human body, which is the command center of the body's physiological metabolism. Among them, the nervous system mainly transmits information through action potentials and chemoelectric synapses on nerve fibers. The endocrine and immune systems, on the other hand, transmit information mainly through the transport of body fluids. Many complex diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, etc., may be related to the dysfunction of the body's neuroendocrine immune network.

Stem cells also play an important role in the repair of the endocrine system, some patients only rely on stem cells in the body, can not achieve mediation and repair work, at this time you need to rely on exogenous stem cells, to achieve the effect of treatment. For example, by intravenous infusion of stem cells to differentiate into islet beta cells, replacing damaged islet cells; And secrete a variety of growth factors and hormones, regulate the balance of the endocrine system, and ultimately achieve the purpose of treating insulin-dependent diabetes.

Brief summary

Hawking is not only a famous theoretical physicist, but also a sufferer of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS. People have passed away, but ALS and other difficult diseases remain in the world, health can not wait, life does not come back. In recent years, with the rapid development of stem cell technology at home and abroad, stem cells have opened a door of hope for regenerative medicine with their unique advantages.