The most successful stem cell therapy—bone marrow transplant—has been around for more than 40 years. Johns Hopkins researchers played an integral role in establishing the methods for how bone marrow transplants are done. In 1968, George Santos completed the first successful bone marrow transplant at Hopkins. Bone marrow houses stem cells. These stem cells, in turn, make the specialized blood cells we need to survive – namely red cells, white cells and platelets. We need red cells to deliver oxygen to our bodies, white cells to fight off infection, and platelets to form clots when we are cut or bruised. Bone marrow transplants, where a person’s diseased bone marrow is destroyed and replaced by donor marrow, are effective in treating those with blood disorders, such as sickle cell anemia or leukemia, but can have side effects such as graft-vs-host disease, where the donated immune cells attack the donor’s body..
Researchers are still in the earliest stages of investigation into the use of other stem cells as therapy, including injecting the heart with heart stem cells following a heart attack. The verdict is still out and more research is needed as to how to find and produce stem cells, how to transplant them to where they are needed in the body and how to mitigate any side effects from their transplantation.
Researchers are still in the earliest stages of investigation into the use of other stem cells as therapy, including injecting the heart with heart stem cells following a heart attack. The verdict is still out and more research is needed as to how to find and produce stem cells, how to transplant them to where they are needed in the body and how to mitigate any side effects from their transplantation.
