The somatic stem cell theory of aging gains much attention in the scientific community recently. Adult or somatic stem cells (SSC)are the multipotent undiffrentiated cells found in adult tissues. SSC has the capacity to generate (all) the cell types of certain organ/tissue (blood, skin, intestnal tissues) from which they are derived through cell division, potentially regenerating the entire organ from a few cells. Stem cells (and progenitor cells) functions as a repair system for the body, replenishing specialized cells/tissues, and also maintain the normal turnover of regenerative organs. SSC functionality is implicated in human aging and cellular senescence. Recently more and more evidence suggests that the genetic and biochemical alterations and decline in differentiation capacity occure in somatic stem cells (SSC) when we age. With aging the population of adult stem cells declines and the rates of differentiation into somatic specialized cells also declines, thereby reduce our ability to replenish tissue cells. SSC cell senescence and the decline in differentiatoin contribute to the all ageing phenomena—tissue deterioration (reduced capacity to regenerate injured tissue) , susceptibility to cancer and cardiovascular disease and increased propensity to infections. Hence(Somatic) stem cells have great potential and implications in regenerative medicines for treating age-relalted deteriorations.
Classical stem cell therapies based on using other people’s bone marrow stem cells for treatment of leukemia has been in routine use today. The more practical approach to stem cell therapy is to reintroduce autologous (a patient’s own) somatic stem cells back into the body to avoid problems of immune system rejection encountered when other people’s stem cells are used.
It may still a long way to go before good news for longevity treatment using SSC since there are reports of failure and cancer development in patients who was subject to stem cell therapies in clinical trials. However, small-scale experiments are beginning to show the power and potential of this simple, inexpensive and non-invasive techniques to clear up formerly intractable diseases.
