Category Archives: Colorado Stem Cells

What is a stem cell transplant?

A stem cell transplant may be used so that you can have intensive high-dose chemotherapy (and sometimes radiotherapy) to kill cancerous cells. The chemotherapy is higher than conventional chemotherapy and also kills the stem cells in the bone marrow that would normally make blood cells. Therefore, following the chemotherapy, you are given back (transplanted) stem cells which can then make normal blood cells again.

A stem cell transplant is sometimes called a bone marrow transplant. However, stem cells can be obtained from blood as well as from the bone marrow. So, the term stem cell transplant is now used.

Blood cells are made in the bone marrow, by stem cells. Bone marrow is the soft sponge-like material in the centre of bones. Large flat bones such as the breastbone (sternum) and pelvis contain the most bone marrow. To make blood cells constantly you need a healthy bone marrow. You also need nutrients from your diet, including iron and some vitamins.

Stem cells are primitive (immature) cells. There are two main types in the bone marrow - myeloid and lymphoid stem cells. These derive from even more primitive cells called common pluripotent stem cells. Stem cells constantly divide and produce new cells. Some new cells remain as stem cells and others go through a series of maturing stages (precursor or blast cells) before forming into mature blood cells.

Mature (fully formed) blood cells are released from the bone marrow into the bloodstream. Mature blood cells are:

Stem cells rapidly multiply to make millions of blood cells each day. Because of this they are more easily killed by chemotherapy than most other cells in the body. This is because chemotherapy drugs work by killing rapidly dividing cells (such as cancer cells).

A stem cell transplant is an option which is considered for various cancer conditions. For example, for types of leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Your specialist will advise when it may be an appropriate option. As a rule, it is not often a first-line treatment. Conventional chemotherapy or other treatments tend to be used first. However, the treatment of cancer and leukaemia is a changing and developing area of medicine. Techniques such as stem cell transplant continue to be refined and improved and may be considered in various different circumstances.

The higher doses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy that can be used in conjunction with a stem cell transplant can improve the chance of a cure for some conditions in certain circumstances.

A stem cell transplant is also used for some rare noncancerous blood disorders.

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Stem Cell Transplant, Bone Marrow Transplant | Health ...

Adult stem cellsee somatic stem cell.

Astrocytea type of supporting (glial) cell found in the nervous system.

BlastocoelThe fluid-filled cavity inside the blastocyst, an early, preimplantation stage of the developing embryo.

BlastocystA preimplantation embryo of about 150 cells produced by cell division following fertilization. The blastocyst is a sphere made up of an outer layer of cells (the trophoblast), a fluid-filled cavity (the blastocoel), and a cluster of cells on the interior (the inner cell mass).

Bone marrow stromal cellsA population of cells found in bone marrow that are different from blood cells, a subset of which are multipotent stem cells, able to give rise to bone, cartilage, marrow fat cells, and able to support formation of blood cells.

Cell-based therapiesTreatment in which stem cells are induced to differentiate into the specific cell type required to repair damaged or destroyed cells or tissues.

Cell cultureGrowth of cells in vitro in an artificial medium for research or medical treatment.

Cell divisionMethod by which a single cell divides to create two cells. There are two main types of cell division depending on what happens to the chromosomes: mitosis and meiosis.

Chromosomea structure consisting of DNA and regulatory proteins found in the nucleus of the cell. The DNA in the nucleus is usually divided up among several chromosomes.The number of chromosomes in the nucleus varies depending on the species of the organism. Humans have 46 chromosomes.

Clone (v) To generate identical copies of a region of a DNA molecule or to generate genetically identical copies of a cell, or organism; (n) The identical molecule, cell, or organism that results from the cloning process.

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Glossary [Stem Cell Information]