Stem cell research is a relatively new branch of science and is continuing to change rapidly. Scientists continue to try and find ways to convert cells back into stem cell-like state. Recently a group of scientist, from Boston and Tokyo, have discovered that a weak acid bath could be the solution of converting specializes cell such as heart and liver cells back into the basic stem cell. The stem cell can then be made into any other type of cell. This technology is very new and is still being tested by other scientist at different locations to see if the results can be replicated. If this is true it would be a much simpler way to make stem cells and then those stem cells could be used to fight off diseases. This type of science is so new that in one generation all that we know about stem cells has been redefined. There are students at Harvard that are working on old hearts using stem cell technology to make them work as a young heart again, and this type of work would not have been posible five years ago. Scientists are still working on developing and working with the stem cell and have yet to find out everything that it can do. They are hoping that these advances in science will help fix spinal cord injuries, replace sick brain cells, and even cure diabetes.
Link: http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/science/2014/02/17/stem-cell-discovery-highlights-transformation-biology/x6BeZnAql87ly6HGcGvSwJ/story.html
NOS Themes:
Science is collaborative- Scientists from Boston and Tokyo work together on this
Importance of repeatability- Other scientist are trying to repeat the tests to get the same results before they will accept it as true.
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