Bone Marrow Stem Cells Used to Regenerate Skin

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090114160548.htm

The study that was established in order to discover whether skin could be regenerated by bone marrow stem cells was done with a burn wound model with pig skin. They attached the artificial skin to the patient and dermal layer and started the process, and they found that stem cells would differentiate into skin cells which are self renewing and raise quality of healing.  The stem celled skin showed better healing, less contraction, and better blood vessels through out the skin. In the future, they are looking to use these skin grafts that are able to heal burn wounds to replace plastic and metal prostheses that are used now.

I think this article is interesting because it gives another alternative to healing rather than just plastic and metal. Even though it always brings in the ethical issue that is stem cells, I believe that we have reached a point in medical technology where it is time to use all the materials that we are given. I think stem cells are much better than using plastic or metal because since the stem cells are the person's own, there is no way the body can reject it where it might with plastic and metal. Along with the non-rejection, in the study they did find that using the stem cells showed better healing and better blood vessels than in other methods. I think these reasons alone are enough to continue with this study of stem cells as I can see it in the future being able to change how medical technology is handled. It could potentially be cheaper because one is using their own cells instead of having other materials being brought in.