| We've all known about the potential that is offered by | | | | that soon, we'll be able to take those cells and use |
| the use of stem cells when it comes to treating illness | | | | them to help repair and regenerate organs that may |
| and disease due to their unique ability to transform into | | | | be damaged in the body. |
| almost any type of human cell. The science has faced | | | | The cells that were transformed by the researchers |
| much controversy, however, due to the fact that stem | | | | behaved exactly as normal smooth muscle cells |
| cells are most often obtained through harvesting them | | | | would. In addition, the fact that the stem cells came |
| from abortions. That has been the major roadblock in | | | | from the body that they would be eventually used to |
| stem cell research – as of the writing of this | | | | repair, the patients would undergo little risk of rejection |
| article, President Bush has performed his first veto in | | | | of the cells. In the past, doctors have been able to |
| order to halt stem cell research. New findings may | | | | successfully create smooth muscle cells from cells |
| soon negate the need for stem cells from abortions | | | | found in the brain and the bone marrow, but this |
| – scientists have recently used stem cells from | | | | breakthrough allows for unnecessary cells to perform |
| the fat tissues of adults! | | | | the task as opposed to the important ones. To ensure |
| This exciting breakthrough was discovered by the | | | | that the experiment wasn't some type of isolated |
| David Geffen School of Medicine, the Henry Samueli | | | | incident, the scientists repeated the process with the |
| School of Engineering, and the University of California | | | | same success. The doctors now look forward to |
| Los Angeles. The researchers took stem cells from | | | | finding ways to make the transition between the fat |
| fat tissue found in adults, and transformed them into | | | | cell and the smooth muscle cell occur more rapidly to |
| smooth muscle cells! Smooth muscle cells are needed | | | | allow for quicker production of the muscle cells. Any |
| throughout the body in areas such as the intestinal | | | | way you cut it, this development holds much promise |
| tract and blood vessels. The very act of turning the | | | | for the future of the human condition. |
| stem cells into smooth muscle cells gives doctors hope | | | | |