The University of Southampton

Author: Elizabeth Stanley

Stem cells: Hope for spinal chord injuries?

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Spinal chord injuries (SCIs) due to trauma or disease can have a profound impact on a persons life. Damage to the delicate nerves within the spinal chord can disrupt signals from the brain to the muscles which can result in loss of sensation or paralysis. As an avid rock climber, injuries such as SCIs can be a devastating reality. My bodies ability to function is integral to the sport I love. I don’t know what I would do without it.

Treatment options for SCIS are often limited and uncertain. Many have to come to terms with their injury and learn to adapt to it. But what if they didn’t have to? Stem cells have the remarkable ability to turn into any type of cell, including nerve cells! The idea is simple – why don’t we use artificially grown nerve cells to replace damaged cells?

Early studies have show that stem cells can promote nerve regeneration and restore limited function in SCIs. Watch this video to hear Chris’s story!

How can stem cells be used?

Diagram of a nerve cell with stem cells added with labels highlighting their abilities.

Abilities to repair damaged nerves with stem cells is currently limited but promising! The nervous system especially after trauma, is complex and unfortunately struggles to heal itself.

Here’s what stem cells can help with:

  • Regenerate new nerve cells
  • Release growth factors and proteins to protect damaged nerves.
  • Promote mature stem cells to grow and reconnect.
  • Break down scars at the site of damage enhancing growth.

This video explains it in more detail!

Stem cells can help promote nerve growth and repair, to reconnect the pathways and restore movement. This is slowly redefining what we think irreparable damage is.

Challenges that remain

Research is slow due to a high level of regulation around the gathering of embryonic stem cells. This undoubtedly hinders research that could have profound changes on someone’s life. Initially I saw these restrictions as an annoyance to scientific advancements, however discussions highlighted concerns of exploitation, destruction of potential life and wider public perception and trust. These views left me conflicted. Imagine if it was your ability to walk that hung on the line?

There are also concerns over whether the risk of stem cells out-way potential rewards which raises certain moral/ ethical questions.

Risk Moral/ethical dilemma
The extent of meaningful functional recovery is currently limited and uncertain. Is it worth going through an operation to potentially only regain slight tingling?
Stem cells have a high likelihood of forming tumour cells.Would you want to risk cancer?
Immune system might reject and attack the new stem cells.Surely attempting something that might be beneficial is better than not doing anything?

This entire time I’ve been assuming that people want to repair nerve damage. There has been pushback in the deaf community surrounding the use of cochlear implants as some believe there’s no need to ‘fix’ those hard of hearing. Its possible that people with SCIs, especially those born with the condition might not even want ‘normal’ function. Would you want to change yourself again/ for the first time after already becoming comfortable and able in your body? I’m not so sure that I would.

Nerve damage repair with stem cells holds promise but there sadly there are no proven treatments that exist yet. I cant wait to see the progress and advancements that become availible over the next few decades. Do you think SCI repair will be possible someday? I hope so.


Answers to your questions about stem cell research (no date) Mayo Clinic. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bone-marrow-transplant/in-depth/stem-cells/art-20048117 (Accessed: 28 March 2025).

Assen, L.S. et al. (2021) ‘Recognizing the ethical implications of stem cell research: A call for broadening the scope’, Stem Cell Reports, 16(7), pp. 1656–1661. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.05.021.

Figure 2. Schematic representation of the repair of peripheral nerve… (no date) ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Schematic-representation-of-the-repair-of-peripheral-nerve-damage-with-a-stem-cell-based_fig1_341051575 (Accessed: 25 March 2025).

Lavender, F. (2021) ‘The stigma around cochlear implants – Deaf Action’, 30 September. Available at: https://deafaction.org/ceo-blog/the-stigma-around-cochlear-implants/ (Accessed: 28 March 2025).

New hope for spinal cord injuries (2024). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_GuSZT_6eI (Accessed: 28 March 2025).

Progress and Promise of Stem Cell Research: Fixing nerve damage in spinal cord injury (2017). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdBW4ntaimc (Accessed: 28 March 2025).

Stem Cell Research Controversy: A Deep Dive (2024) (no date). Available at: https://www.dvcstem.com/post/stem-cell-research-controversy (Accessed: 28 March 2025).

Sullivan, R. et al. (2016) ‘Peripheral Nerve Injury: Stem Cell Therapy and Peripheral Nerve Transfer’, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 17(12), p. 2101. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17122101.

Cloning: A brief timeline surrounding Dolly

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You must know Dolly?! The sensational sheep that was famously cloned in 1996. She’s been heavily reported in near every biology textbook and her story is eagerly recited by millions. She played a significant role in advancing our scientific knowledge. However, most are unaware of the work that led to her being a possibility and in almost three decades we have had major advancements! Did you know Dolly wasn’t even the first cloned animal?

Here is a brief history of cloning from the past and some of the controversial techniques availible today.

Photo of dolly the sheep from the natural history museum in Edinborough

What is cloning?

Cloning is the process of creating a genetically identical individual. Identical twins are natural clones. This concept is widely used as a plot line in media. You must have seen cloning in the movie Jurassic park! Perhaps the book Alex rider? Where an evil scientist creates clones of himself and uses them to try and achieve world domination.

The possibilities of cloning is exciting but clearly potentially problematic! More on that later…

Time line Towards Dolly

  • The early days 1885 – Embryonic cells were separated in the early stages of development of sea urchins.
  • 1928 – The same method was used to clone salamanders but were not viable/fully formed
  • Nuclear transfer – 1950 – The first successful nuclear transfer on a tadpole!

A frog egg nucleus is removed and a the nucleus from another tadpole is added into the empty frog egg.

  • 1958 – Nuclei from differentiated cells were found to result in development.
  • 1970s- The first genetically identical mice was produced by splitting mouse embryos.
  • Dawn of Cloning – 1996 – Dolly the sheep, the first mammal from an adult somatic cell was created.

Cloning after Dolly

  • 2001 -Endangered animals have been cloned.
  • 2013 – Human embryonic stem cells are created using somatic cell nuclear transfer. 

The successful cloning of Dolly led the way for vast improvements in our understanding of stem cells. For the first time it had been shown that a cell could be reprogramed after it had specialised and be used to form an organism. Important ethical issues were raised particularly surrounding human cloning and later the use of human embryos for stem cell research. Would you want your DNA used to create another being the same as you? On one hand it would be kind of amazing to have someone that thinks and acts inherently the same as me but at the same time I don’t think I could stand another one of me! Many had a moral apprehension around cloning and as such human cloning was immediately banned by UNESCO. The use of human embryos is also heavily regulated with the Warnock report restricting research on embryos up to 14 days old.

Nowadays there is a market for Pet cloning, yes you heard me right! Companies are providing the ability to have the DNA of your pet cloned to bring back your lost pup! I am flabbergasted that this is availible for purchase. My first thoughts were that this was pointless as it wouldn’t fully bring back your lost pet but after watching the video I am less sure. it did seem to bring solace to the pet owner, if its a harmless venture, why not?

Watch how cloning has been used to create Marley and Mabel!

Cloning can be hugely beneficial, such as producing live stock with desirable traits and the potential to study genetic diseases and develop cures, including bringing joy back after the loss of a beloved pet. However cloning also raises the concern of autonomy and individuality some argue that its unnatural and could lead to the exploitation and misuse. Additionally the technology required for cloning is expensive unavailable to most third world countries. Is it right to be benefiting from something that others cannot? What do you think?

Bibliography

Books (2023) Anthony Horowitz. Available at: https://anthonyhorowitz.com/books/list/series/alex-rider (Accessed: 11 March 2025).

Häyry, M. (2018) ‘Ethics and cloning’, British Medical Bulletin, 128(1), pp. 15–21. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldy031.

Sciences (US), N.A. of et al. (2002) ‘Cloning: Definitions And Applications’, in Scientific and Medical Aspects of Human Reproductive Cloning. National Academies Press (US). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223960/ (Accessed: 11 March 2025).

The History of Cloning (no date). Available at: https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cloning/clonezone/ (Accessed: 10 March 2025).













			


	



					
						


	

		
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Inspector gadget is the first thing that comes to my mind when thinking about this module. I’m exited to learn about the ‘gadgets’ that can be made to help people!