A Brief History of Stem Cell Reserch

In the 1900s, researchers found that certain cells could even produce blood cells, and the thirst for extensive stem cell research was born. Stem research is conducted using both animal and human stem cells, and according to the National Institutes of Health originally centered around two types of stem cells, embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic "somatic" or "adult" stem cells. Early research focused on bone marrow transplants when researchers discovered that bone-marrow infused mouse blood could battle anemia and leukemia in the mice. The first real breakthrough in stem cell research occurred in the late1950s, human bone marrow transplants were attempted in France after a serious radiation accident. Experts says that large scale bone marrow transplant and stem cell research was not conducted until 1958 when French medical researcher Jean Dausset identified the first of many human histocompatibility antigens, or proteins found on the surface of most cells in the human body. These antigens determine what belongs in the human body and what does not, so learning to manipulate these antigens could mean the difference between the body destroying newly transplanted bone marrow or accepting it. The technology used in transplants has been slowly evolving and becoming more efficient. At first, transplants between twins with compatible antigens were the only successful option. In the 1960s, scientists had learned enough about compatibility to transplant between siblings who were not identical twins, and in 1973 after seven different attempts, doctors were able to perform a bone marrow transplant between two unrelated people. By the 1990s, stem cell research was expanding rapidly, and as organ transplant technology accelerated, so too did the realization that stem cells also may be helpful in regenerating certain tissues such as liver tissue, which might help repair organs damaged by disease.

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