Are stem cells found in bone marrow?

Are you tired of hearing about stem cells yet? Don’t worry, we won’t bore you with the scientific mumbo-jumbo. Instead, we’ll take a humorous approach to answer one simple question – are stem cells found in bone marrow?

The Basics of Stem Cells

First things first, let’s talk about what exactly stem cells are. Stem cells are basically undifferentiated jacks-of-all-trades that have the potential to develop into different types of specialized cells.

There are two main types of stem cells – embryonic and adult or somatic. Embryonic stem cells are harvested from embryos while adult or somatic ones can be found in various tissues within our body.

What Makes Adult Stem Cells So Special?

The great thing about adult (somatic) stem cells is that they’re not as controversial as embryonic ones because they can be ethically sourced from consenting adults rather than unborn fetuses.

But wait! There’s more!

Adult stem cell therapy also comes with lower risks compared to embryonic treatments since there’s no risk of rejection by the patient’s immune system, unlike treatments involving completely foreign tissue.

All About Bone Marrow

Now onto bone marrow. No, it’s not a fancy new steakhouse. It’s actually an important part of our bodies responsible for producing blood and other vital elements like white blood cells and platelets.

What Exactly Is Bone Marrow Made Of?

Bone marrow has two components: red and yellow marrow. Red contains hematopoietic (blood-related) stem and progenitor cell populations which allow your body to produce red bloods . In contrast, yellow hosts mostly fat stores/progenitor fat-storing stromal cells.

So if we need any sort of treatment involving these precious little unprogrammed gems – this would likely bring us to bone marrow. But the question remains …

Are Stem Cells Found in Bone Marrow?

Drumroll, please! The answer is YES!

Bone marrow just so happens to be one of those perfect spots where you can find a healthy supply of adult stem cells that are used for all sorts of treatments such as heart disease or leukemia.

Harvesting Stem Cells from Bone Marrow

But how does one harvest these mystical little life-giving marvels? It’s actually a fairly simple procedure (but don’t try this at home).

First, doctors will give the donor several injections per day of a drug called filgrastim over four to five days which helps stimulate the growth and mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and help them migrate into circulating blood.Then they’ll use a needle to extract some bone marrow from your hipbone.

Yeowch! Don’t worry though – modern anesthesia means you won’t feel much pain…until someone presents you with the hospital bill!

After two weeks it’s common that donors return back their normal blood cell counts. So friends if anyone ever recommends this treatment…it may serve us well not ask our fellow hip-boned humans for spare parts 🙂

Conclusion

So there you have it folks – bone marrow is indeed one place we can go hunting for precious little stem cells. Whether we’re harvesting them for purely experimental purposes or making use out of their therapeutic potential – its nice to know there’s still plenty left out there waiting for us.

TL;DR:

  • Adult stem cells are ethically sourced while embryonic ones come from embryos.
  • Somatic Stem Cell therapy has less risk since patient own tissue is used
  • Red components inside Bones contain hematopoietic (blood-related) stem and progenitor cell populations
  • Doctor Inject patients with filgrastrim & remove goods by pulling said items directly from the hip bone
  • It’s possible to harness stem cells found in bone marrow for medical treatment.
  • The procedure is painful and not cheap – call on The Wolverine instead.

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