Stem Cell Research Question

[kcr]

Does anyone have a good pointer to the medical possibilities of stem cells? I am not interested in the morality questions, I just need to find information on the kinds of treatments that stem cell research may make possible. Google isn't being very helpful.

While I am asking -- any medical experts point me to a condition that casues headaches and hallucinations without being completely debilitating? Again, Google isn;t being much help.

Thanks

[captainjack]

1. good question...

the answer to your second question..lsd, ecxtasy, any mind enhancing drugs :)

the answer to your first...we all grow out of a single cell...it divides once, then divides again, etc. at the beginning stages, what each cell becomes(nervous system, muscles, etc) is not exactly determined and can be changed. when you have a blastula(which is what the ball of baby cells is called) you can pick and choose what the cell becomes later on in it's life. so stem cells are good for producing whatever the hell tissue you want.

stem cell therapy is when you put this newly formed tissue in a human body rather than in a petri dish - so that you can put stem cells in a damaged heart(eg, vicitims of myocardial infraction, er, heart attack) and force them to become healthy heart tissue! amazing stuff is going on here...seriously...or a stroke victim and force the tissue to become new neurons...crazy ridiculous amazing science and bush is fucking it all up!


stem cell therapy - good website: http://www.stemcellresearchfoundation.org/About/FAQ.htm

hope that helps!
captjack

[kcr]

2. Yes and No

The hallucinations have to be from a medical condition -- I want some doubt as to wheter r not what the character is expiriencing is real.

The stem cell link is good, though. it doesn;t offer much detial, but now I know severla diseases that kids could have that stem cell research could cure.

Thanks

[captainjack]

3. what level of detail were you looking for?

i suggest you regularly read "cell," "science," or "nature" if you really want a firm grounding in the science of stem cells :)

another nice one for ya:
http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/stemcells/sctoday/

edit 2: google is awesome. type in stem cell therapy or something like that and you can see some nice results :)

good luck!

[kcr]

4. Detail

Not really detail so much as predictions: where the research is headed, where people think the braktrhoughs will happen, what the effects would actually look like to a particiapnt.

I have a good understanding of how stem cell therapy works on the cellular level, but almt none on where the research is headed and the kinds of physical effects the therapy would have on the afflcited.

This isn't anything important -- just some research for a story.

[kcr]

5. One kick

before I go to bed ..