Developmental biology

Aging, injuries and diseases like dystrophies are all ensue respectively from dying, damaged or malfunctioning specialised cells. Nowadays, researchers aim at finding possible methods to treat patients by understanding better how diseases develop. Regenerative medicine is an emerging field that had known incredible advances over the last 20 years. It’s a broad interdisciplinary field aiming at repairing, regenerating or replacing damaged, malfunctioning or missing cells and tissues leading to restore

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells within the body that are defined by their ability to self renew and differentiate into specialized cells (1). Stem cells function in body tissues as a repair mechanism, with an unlimited ability to divide and restock cells as needed by the body. Each time a stem cell divides, the new cell formed can either remain a stem cell or differentiate into a specialized cell, such as a brain cell. Traditionally, there are two main types of stem cells: human embryonic stem

The Ethics and Morality Of Stem Cell Research When does life begin? Does it occur at the time of fertilization? Does it begin at 12 weeks? 6? Or is there some other test determining whether or not a life begins and along with it the rights, that reside to man. The natural rights that belong to every human being, most importantly of which, the right to life. This is the discussion and debate that have been in the forefront of controversial issues for the past 40 years. In most cases the topic of

Project Summary Mechanisms involved in wound healing and heart function are essential for the survival of mammalian species. The treatment of ischaemic heart disease and myocardial tissue regeneration remains poorly understood. Mesenchymal stem cells possess the ability to differentiate into various tissue types, including hematopoiesis, cardiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and neuronal development, as well as endothelial progenitor cells. In addition to its multipotent capability, the mesenchymal stem

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to differentiate into specialized cells that make up various organs in our body. Intriguingly, if the stem cells are given the right conditions, they can divide, differentiate and self-organize to form an organ by itself. Organs formed in this manner are called organoids. Specifically, Organoids are structures resembling organs, generated from embryonic stem cells in a three-dimensional culture system similar to in vivo. However, these

Reflect back to the year 1984, to the tragic day former professional boxer Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In a blink of an eye, Ali’s career slipped through his fingertips. Unfortunately, many tragedies such as Ali’s occur everyday whether it is due to an accident or disease. I can relate to this issue along with others who may know someone who suffers from a life long disease such as Parkinson’s, paralysis, or diabetes. For quite some time these diseases have been seen as incurable

appearance more appealing to the eye. That is, until we entered the age of bioengineering. By definition, biomedical engineering, or more affectionately known as bioengineering, is the use of engineering philosophies in correlation with the fields of biology and health care. It can range from from electrical and mechanics to the chemistry side of the equation. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, prosthetic limbs, lab grown organs, and implanted devices such as pace makers and insulin pumps

Therapeutic Cloning and its Controversy The idea of finding a way to cure people of diseases with their own cells is one that scientists, physicians, and those who are afflicted by such diseases find very enticing. Therapeutic cloning is a process that scientists believe has the potential to achieve such goals in the future. While therapeutic cloning brings with it a variety of potential benefits and innovations, it also carries with it a polarizing ethical conflict that poses a strong impediment

Trevor McCarthy Human Embryonic Stem Cell (hESC) research possesses ethical dilemmas with the utility of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) derived from human blastocyst, one of the earliest stages of embryonic development. Embryonic stem cell derivation is controversial because there are different opinions and beliefs on when an embryo is deserving of full moral status, equal to the moral respect, rights and treatment to that of a human being. ESCs extracted from a blastocyst will undergo experimentation

What activity during oocyte activation prevents penetration by additional sperm? There are to methods consisting of an electrical block and mechanical block, which prevents penetration of additional sperms during oocyte activation. Electrical block involves the absences of fertilization (the oocyte contains a negative charge within and the sperm a positive charge). For instance, if an oocyte comes into contact with a sperm the negative charge within the oocyte changes to positive resulting any other