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Questions and Answers
What is a primary benefit of using stem cell extracts in skin care products?
What is a primary benefit of using stem cell extracts in skin care products?
Why do dermatologists prefer using plant-derived stem cells in cosmetic treatments?
Why do dermatologists prefer using plant-derived stem cells in cosmetic treatments?
What components in stem cells are considered beneficial for skin rejuvenation?
What components in stem cells are considered beneficial for skin rejuvenation?
What is the impact of free radicals on DNA?
What is the impact of free radicals on DNA?
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What misconception exists about stem cell products in skin care?
What misconception exists about stem cell products in skin care?
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How can oxidative stress relate to cancer prevalence?
How can oxidative stress relate to cancer prevalence?
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What effect do stem cell extracts have on collagen production in the skin?
What effect do stem cell extracts have on collagen production in the skin?
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Which factor does NOT contribute to the buildup of free radicals in the body?
Which factor does NOT contribute to the buildup of free radicals in the body?
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Which nutrient has been shown to support the integrity of DNA repair enzymes?
Which nutrient has been shown to support the integrity of DNA repair enzymes?
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How do antioxidants in stem cell extracts benefit the skin?
How do antioxidants in stem cell extracts benefit the skin?
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What role do genes play in the context of cancer and cellular function?
What role do genes play in the context of cancer and cellular function?
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What is a notable limitation of using plant stem cells in skin care?
What is a notable limitation of using plant stem cells in skin care?
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Which is NOT a proposed mechanism of cancer gene activation?
Which is NOT a proposed mechanism of cancer gene activation?
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What is the overall effect of using products containing stem cells on the appearance of skin?
What is the overall effect of using products containing stem cells on the appearance of skin?
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How do antioxidants affect DNA repair mechanisms?
How do antioxidants affect DNA repair mechanisms?
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What is a common misconception about free radicals?
What is a common misconception about free radicals?
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What is a key challenge in using pluripotent human stem cells for clinical therapies?
What is a key challenge in using pluripotent human stem cells for clinical therapies?
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Which type of plant cells are described as totipotent?
Which type of plant cells are described as totipotent?
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In regenerative medicine, what is often the therapeutic goal for diseases caused by mutations in a single gene?
In regenerative medicine, what is often the therapeutic goal for diseases caused by mutations in a single gene?
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How do regular skincare products generally interact with skin cells?
How do regular skincare products generally interact with skin cells?
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What is one potential application of insights from stem cell biology?
What is one potential application of insights from stem cell biology?
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What is a benefit of using plant stem cells in skincare products?
What is a benefit of using plant stem cells in skincare products?
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What role does pharmacological activation of endogenous stem cells play in regenerative medicine?
What role does pharmacological activation of endogenous stem cells play in regenerative medicine?
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Why might stem cells still hold significant value even if they do not succeed in tissue replacement therapies?
Why might stem cells still hold significant value even if they do not succeed in tissue replacement therapies?
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Study Notes
Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs)
- Stem cells are crucial for regenerating and repairing organs like the heart, lungs, skin, and germ cells.
- Normal stem cells have characteristics that led scientists to hypothesize cancer may originate from stem-like cells.
- Cancer stem cells are now linked to cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance.
Incidence and Mortality of Cancer in 2020
- Approximately 19 million new cancer cases occurred in 2020.
- Roughly 10 million cancer deaths occurred in 2020.
- Leading cancer types (by incidence) in 2020 included: female breast cancer (11.7 %), other cancers (36.9%), lung cancer (11.4%), colorectal cancer (10.0%), prostate cancer (7.3%), and stomach cancer (5.6%).
- Leading cancer types (by mortality) in 2020 included: lung cancer (18.0%), other cancers (29.2%), colorectal cancer (9.4%), and stomach cancer (8.3%).
Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs)
- Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subgroup of tumor cells with capabilities like self-renewal, dedifferentiation, tumorigenicity, and inherent chemo- and radiotherapy resistance.
- This resistance leads to tumor relapse and therapy failure.
Origin of CSCs
- CSCs can originate from somatic stem cells, adult progenitor cells, or ordinary adult somatic cells.
- DNA mutations in normal stem cells may result in cancer stem cells.
CSC Features
- Self-renewal
- Diverse progeny
- Immortality (asymmetric mitosis)
Immortality
- Telomeres in stem cells typically shorten with each division.
- Cancer stem cells maintain telomere length through telomerase activity compared to normal cells (whose telomeres tend to shorten).
The Cancer Stem Cell (CSC) Hypothesis
- CSCs are quiescent (inactive) and tumorigenic (cancer-causing).
- CSCs are resistant to chemotherapy.
- CSCs can create new tumors similar to the primary tumor.
- Non-tumorigenic cells in the primary tumor respond to chemotherapy.
Normal vs. Cancer Cells
- Normal Cells have uniformly shaped nuclei, large cytoplasmic volume, cells arranged in a organized manner, normal presentation of cell-surface markers, and lower levels of dividing cells.
- Cancer Cells have variable shaped nuclei, a small cytoplasmic volume, cells in a disordered arrangement, an abnormal presentation of cell-surface markers, and increased number of dividing cells.
Cancer Cell & Normal Cell Characteristics
- Cancer cells have an irregular shape with darker-staining nuclei, uncontrolled growth, and lack of maturation, impaired communication with immune cells.
- Cancer cells do not require oxygen nor normal levels of glucose, often use glucose as their primary fuel source.
- Cancer cells have a low energy efficiency with 2 units of ATP vs 36 units of ATP for normal cells while also having an acidic environment.
- Normal cells have a regular shape with proportionate nuclei, controlled growth, and maturation, and communicate with immune cells.
- Normal cells require oxygen and use glucose for fuel.
- Normal cells have high energy efficiency with 36 units of ATP.
- Normal cells have an alkaline environment.
Intrinsic Mechanisms of Therapy Resistance in CSCs
- Cancer stem cells have a higher capacity to survive standard treatments (chemo and radiotherapy).
- DNA repair mechanisms in CSCs are more active.
- Chemoresistance is further fueled by cellular plasticity, in which breast CSCs switch from proliferating epithelial cells to mesenchymal cells.
- This ability to switch states helps CSCs contribute to metastasis and therapy resistance.
- Enhanced DNA repair, reduced drug response and activated survival pathways.
Chemotherapy and Rapidly Dividing Cells
- Conventional chemotherapy often targets rapidly dividing cells.
- Stem cells do not rapidly divide, so they are less targeted by conventional chemotherapy.
- Thus conventional chemotherapy often fails to eradicate CSC, leading to recurrence.
Activating Cancer Genes and Free Radicals
- Damaged DNA can change cellular functions and lead to uncontrolled growth.
- Some DNA genes act like switches, which can be turned on or off depending on the cell’s needs.
- Free radicals can damage DNA, potentially contributing to cancer development.
Optimizing DNA Repair Enzymes
- Free radicals can accumulate in the body due to radiation, chemicals, chronic malnutrition, and high calorie intake.
- High oxidative stress is linked to increased cancer prevalence and cigarette smoking associated with increased free radical production.
- High antioxidant intake, zinc, L-carnitine, and B vitamins, which help support DNA repair enzymes.
Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and Targeting Cancer Cells
- Includes methods like antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), bispecific antibodies, and genetically engineered T cells (e.g., CAR-T cells).
Stem Cells in Cosmetics
- Adult epidermal stem cells in the basal layer are essential for maintaining skin barrier function, renewal, and repair.
- Stem cells in cosmetics promote skin rejuvenation, wrinkle reduction, and improved skin texture/tone.
Stem Cells and Aging
- Stem cells have a limited lifespan.
- Environmental and intrinsic stress factors affect stem cells.
- In aged skin, the number and activity of stem cells decline.
- To slow preliminary aging, stem cells require protection and support.
Environment and Aging Compromise the Skin Barrier
- Environmental factors like low temperatures and humidity, and abrupt changes impact the skin barrier.
- As people age, the skin's renewal process slows down, and the production of barrier lipids declines.
- Stem cells from older donors are less effective than those from younger donors.
- This results in drier skin, increased wrinkling, and accelerated skin aging.
Cosmetics and Stem Cells
- Methods for harvesting, separating, activating stem cells, injecting stem cells, and resultant cosmetic effects are described.
Platelet, Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy involves extracting a small amount of blood, separating platelets from other blood components using a centrifuge, and injecting the platelet-rich plasma into the affected area.
- PRP contains a variety of growth factors (PDGF, TGF-β, and FGF). -Platelets release various growth factors that contribute to tissue regeneration and wound healing.
- PRP is often used due to its ability to boost the body’s natural healing process and effectiveness in maintaining and rebuilding tissue.
Exosomes
- Exosomes are secreted vesicles released by cells that carry a variety of biomolecules.
- Different types of vesicles exist based on their genesis—exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies.
- They serve as a cellular communication vehicle enabling intercellular transfer of bioactive molecules and signaling.
- Exosomes are promising candidates for diagnostics, immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine; however, their storage and delivery pose challenges.
- Methods for maintaining stability of exosomes for application in medical treatments are discussed.
The Future of Exosomes
- Exosomes have a variety of applications including biomarkers for various diseases, as therapeutic delivery agents, in regenerative medicine, and as vaccine adjuvants. -Exosomes as delivery agents have high stability for long-term storage. -Exosome isolation techniques are often labor-intensive, hence impacting efficiency.
The Future of Tissue Engineering
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Advancements in stem cell technologies will eliminate the need for traditional transplantation methods by using patient-specific cells.
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Further research will focus on developing suitable scaffolding for cells and improving viability inside the body.
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Technological advancements in tissue engineering will help discover new and more efficient methods.
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Basic research—cellular mechanisms involved in complex developmental events, molecular understanding of the cancer process, and mechanisms of gene regulation and differentiation of stem cells and stem cell theory of cancer.
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Biotechnology—cell types developed to test new drugs. Screening of potential drugs. Stem cells used for testing in wider range of cell types and may reduce animal testing.
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Regenerative therapy—regenerative therapies are used in treatment of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, burn injuries, heart diseases, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
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Stem cells in gene therapy—stem cells act as the vehicle and delivery mechanism that deliver the correct genetic code, after genetic manipulation of the stem cells, in the treatment of diseases.
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Stem cells in therapeutic cloning—manipulated stem cells are used in the growth of new organs or tissues to correct a genetic defect.
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Stem cell banking—a facility or enterprise which collects and stores human stem cells from donors for individual/public use or research.
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Sources of stem cells are either self-produced or obtained from donors like completely matched sibling donors or partially matched donors with similar ethnic backgrounds/gene profiles.
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Methods for storing stem cells for extended periods may include freezing of cells or immersion in a cryopreservative (such as liquid nitrogen).
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Important considerations—avoidance of immunologic rejection, or graft versus host disease, using standardized and purified cell preparations or using less invasive methods for obtaining cells, using appropriate scaffolding material with suitable biodegradability and biological compatibility with the tissue.
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