August 17, 2023
Stem cells are incredibly important to the medical research world because they’re almost a jack-of-all-trades among cells in the human body. They have unique abilities that make them powerful tools with limitless potential for understanding and treating various diseases.
Imagine being able to regenerate damaged tissue, cure chronic conditions, or even grow new organs for transplantation. This is not science fiction, but the exciting reality that many stem cell researchers are pursuing. As we continue to unlock their mysteries, stem cells are poised to revolutionize medical science and usher in a new era of groundbreaking treatments and therapies. But surely this begs the question from those who aren’t in the medical research community… what are stem cells and what do they do?
Gladiator Therapeutics has the answer.
What Are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are cells that can develop into many different cell types, such as muscle cells or even brain cells. In other cases, they also can repair damaged tissues. There are two main types: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.
- Embryonic stem cells come from unused embryos resulting from an in-vitro fertilization procedure. They are pluripotent, which means they can turn into more than 200 different types of cells in the body. They are not a part of the healing processes since these are what our ‘bodies’ use before we are born.
- Adult stem cells have a more limited ability to turn into different types of cells. They are typically used by the body to repair and replace damaged tissue in the same area where they are found. Typically, when talking about these cells in general, they will be referring to these types. They are called adult stem cells, even when they are from a child or another form of adolescent.
Gladiator Therapeutics has a significant interest in stem cells due to their potential to regenerate and repair damaged tissue. We utilize and manipulate this potential in our devices to help further the human healing process. Some treatments, such as bone marrow transplantation, already make use of them and their potential for regenerating damaged tissues.
What Do Stem Cells Do?
Stem cells are integral to more than just the healing and regenerative processes. Since they have the unique ability to develop into different cell types, they play several critical roles in different processes, including:
- Embryonic Growth and Development: During embryonic development within a woman’s womb, stem cells turn into all the specialized cells that make up the human body. These include the heart, lungs, skin, and other organ cells.
- Repair and Regeneration: We’ve talked about how adult stem cells play a crucial role in the body’s healing process. They do this by dividing and differentiating into the necessary types to repair and replace the damaged tissues. For example, they become skin cells when you have a cut. This is also seen in organs like blood vessels and the intestines, which have a high rate of cell turnover and constantly need new ones.
- Blood Cell Production: Hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow constantly divide and differentiate into various types of blood cells. Blood is incredibly important to the human body, and has three different types of cells that they can transform into: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This ensures the constant replenishment of the blood system.
- Immune Response: Stem cells help your immune system as well. They can become several various types of immune cells that help the body fight off infections and diseases.
- Homeostasis: Stem cells can also help maintain the balance of cells in our bodies. Sometimes certain areas of our body will make too much or too little of specific cells. They will become what our body needs to balance out the issue. Sometimes they need support when stem cells can’t do it all, all the time.
Overall, they are vital for maintaining one’s health. Even if you were to never get hurt or get sick, you would still need them. It’s important to note that our understanding of stem cells and their roles in the body is still evolving, and with ongoing research uncovering new aspects of their function and potential therapeutic uses.
How Gladiator Therapeutics Can Help You
Stem cells play a role in how our Far Infrared technology works as well. Our team spends a lot of time researching how they behave and react to certain stimuli, and how they — among other cells — can be used or manipulated into helping the healing process.
Our research and experimentation have helped us to create multiple different healing devices that can improve your body’s healing process. If you’ve suffered an injury that isn’t healing as it should, are in post-surgery recovery, or want to heal faster, contact us at Gladiator Therapeutics. We’ll see if one of our devices is right for you.