Both are important cell resources. What are the similarities and differences between stem cells and immune cells?

There exists a human health guardian corps in our body. They firmly defend harmful bacteria and pathogens from the body and ensure the normal functioning of various body functions day and night. Stem cells and immune cells are the two main players in the guardian corps.

The 21st century is the era of cell therapy. Cell therapy is divided into two categories: stem cells and immune cells. So the question is, what are the similarities and differences between "stem cells" and "immune cells"? Today, the editor will give you a detailed answer.

To summarize the role of stem cells and immune cells in the human body in one sentence, stem cells are maintenance workers and immune cells are cleaners. The two are interdependent and work synergistically.

The past and present of cell therapy

In 1665, when Robert Hooke first used a microscope to discover the existence of cells in the world, he would not have imagined that cells would one day be used to treat diseases.

Nearly three hundred years later, in 1957, Donal Thomas successfully performed a bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell transplant, marking the first time that cell therapy has moved from theory to clinic. Since then, the boom in stem cell research has also promoted the development of regenerative medicine.

In 2012, a little girl named Emily received a new cell therapy, CAR-T, and was successfully cured. This case ignited scientists' enthusiasm for research, and immune cell therapy has gradually improved.

Currently, the two most common types of cells are: stem cells and immune cells.

Stem cells supplement the human body with exogenous cells or activate endogenous stem cells, while immune cells eliminate harmful substances in the human body, including mutated tumor cells and foreign microbial invasions (such as viruses and bacteria).

Stem cells - the body's repairmen

If the human body is regarded as a large and precisely operated machine, stem cells are the busiest and most important repairmen in the machine. Whether the machine is damaged or the parts are aged, these repairmen will show up to protect human health. They can not only differentiate in multiple directions and replenish fresh cells, but also secrete cytokines to provide nutritional support to damaged cells.

The function of stem cells is to maintain life

Hematopoietic stem cells are the earliest stem cell therapy technology used in clinical practice. Even a small amount of hematopoietic stem cells can theoretically complete the reconstruction of the human hematopoietic system and immune system.

Mesenchymal stem cells are a type of stem cell widely used in the field of regenerative medicine research. Globally, thousands of clinical trials have proven their safety, and nearly ten mesenchymal stem cell drugs have been launched on the market.
At present, the stem cells people store mainly come from the umbilical cord blood, umbilical cord, placenta, deciduous teeth, and fat of adults of newborns.

Immune cells - the body's cleaners

If stem cells are the body's repairmen, then immune cells are the body's cleaners. On the one hand, they must remove foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses; on the other hand, they must also remove aging cells and mutated cells in the body.

The role of immune cells is to clear and maintain stability

Israeli scientists have discovered that if immune cells cannot function properly, immune surveillance disorders will occur, leading to the accumulation of senescent cells, chronic inflammation, and an increased incidence of elderly diseases.

At present, the immune cells that are widely studied include CIK cells, NK cells, TIL cells, CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells, regulatory T cells, etc. They show great potential in fighting tumors, viruses, inflammation and other diseases.

With the continuous breakthroughs in medicine and technology, cell therapy technology has provided more options for the treatment of some intractable diseases and promoted profound changes in the biomedical industry. Nowadays, more and more people choose cell storage and store healthy stem cells and immune cells in the Zhengzhou University Stem Cell Bank. I believe that in the future, cell therapy will play a greater role in more fields.

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